An enventful sixth year
by SwordErised12934
Summary: This is Ron and Hermione's sixth year at Hogwarts, starting after the Department of Mysteries in the hospital wing. What's happening to Ron after he got attacked from that brain, will he and Hermione ever get together? And will Harry ever come back to them after Sirius death? this story is mostly R/Hr but some H/G will come in later chapters. It's rated M for a reason!
1. Conversations in the hospital wing

Chapter 1: Conversations in the hospital wing.

Ron felt such a great pain all over his upper body that he nearly cried out when he woke up from his sleep. Wait, he didn´t remember that he had fallen asleep. He opened his eyes and saw that he wasn´t in his in his dorm or his room at the Burrow. He was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts... but why?

Then it all came crashing down at him! The Department Of Mysteries! What happened? All he remembered that he, Ginny and Luna was running from Death Eaters, he had felt something hit his back, and then all was a blur.

He looked at his left and out of the window at the dark night sky and understood that it must be very late. Then he looked across the room and saw Umbridge lie in a bed sound asleep mumbling something about a horse. And when he looked to his right his heart stopped,

_Hermione!_

She laid there taking small uneven breath every second. She looked so pale in the moonlight like she was barely alive.

When his heart started to beat again he ignores the pain in his upper body and tried to get out of bed. As soon he got on his feet he saw red and heard a voice scream in his head, it didn't sound like Hermione's voice but he thought it was anyway. Then he felt a pain shoot through his whole body, pain like he never felt before, like his blood was boiling inside his veins, he screamed of the top of his lungs. Then it´s was over and the red colour before his eyes went to total black, he heard someone run towards him and thought it was whoever had cast that horrible spell at him, if it was a Death Eater he knew he was done for it. He felt himself get lifted him off the ground, that he didn't remember that he had fallen on to, and even though he didn't have any hope left to survive and every muscle in his body screamed him to stop, he fought whoever had its hold on him. He would give everything he had left to get this Death Eater away from Hermione.

"Mr Weasley! Stop this instant!" He heard a quiet elderly woman voice shout at him. He didn't listen. "Mr Weasley, you are in the hospital wing and if you don't stop right now I will stun you!"

He finally got his vision cleared and over him stood Madam Pompfrey, trying to hold him back against his bed (how she had gotten him back up there he didn't know). He stopped his struggling and lay back against his bed.

"What were you thinking getting out of bed like this!" she said angrily.

"Hermione she was screaming and I tried to get to her but someone casted a spell on me"! He said breathing heavily.

"No one was in here but you, Miss Granger and Dolores and the only one who screamed was you."

For the second time that night Ron remembered the Department of Mysteries and it was after he saw Hermione and got up on his feet that someone had started to scream, but he didn't have the energy to argue with Madam Pompfrey about it.

"What happen to her?" he asked.

"She got hit by a spell in the chest, I think it was the Killing Curse but something went wrong because she is no dead and is not going to die any time soon".

"SHE GOT HIT WITH THE KILLING CURSE!" The energy suddenly returned and he started to get up again.

"Now calm down Mr Weasley!" she pushed him down again. "Ore are you going to wake the whole castle? I will put a stunning curse on you if necessary! It´s all right Dolores go back to sleep. "She said to Umbridge who had woken up from his scream.

"I have to sit with her. " He said trying to sit up again, feeling the panic rise with in him.

"You are not going anywhere with what´s happen to you and the state you're in. "Ron looked down on himself and saw that his upper body was bare and that it was all covered in scars. "And Miss Granger will be just fine in a couple of days, but if you hurt yourself even more then I think she will get weary worried and not heal as quickly as she could. If you don't calm down right now you are just going to make it worse for both of you." He looked over to Hermione again and thought of what Madam Pompfrey had said felt himself calm down again after a while.

"What happened me? " He asked. Madam Pompfrey seemed to study him for some time to see if he was going to get more difficult but a moment later she said:

"As I understand from what Mr Longbottom told me there was some kind of brain that attacked you."

"Oh yeah, those brains in that jar" he remembered. "Wait how could they attack me? "He asked himself.

"How should I know, now if you excuse me I´m going to inform Professor Dumbledore that you are awake, he wants to talk to you. "She said, stood up and walked out the doors.

He lay there in the dark and once in a while took a glance at Hermione just to be sure she was still breathing. He didn´t try to stand again but he wanted to sit by her side.

Ron didn´t had to wait long until the doors open again and Dumbledore walked in, still in his day clothes with his long silver beard out of place.

"How are you feeling Mr Weasley?" he asked.

"I'm fine, sir. "

"Except that your scars are burning, I'm I right? " Dumbledore asked with concern.

"Yes, a little." Ron answered with a sigh and looked down at his hands. They did burn like hell!

Dumbledore had a sad look on his face. "I know what happened in Department Of Mysteries so you don't need to tell me anything, but I need to tell you what happen after you got hit with that drunken spell.''

"There is a drunken spell?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes there is Mr. Weasley, you got a sobering potion so that is why you don´t feel anything from the hangover." Dumbledore said with a smile. "Pretty unnecessary to spend money on alcohol when you just need to hit yourself with a, drunken spell, but what is the charm in that?" Dumbledore smiled faded after that. "But let's talk about what happen after and I want you to repeat it to Miss Granger when she wakes up."

"Yes sir."

"Good…" there was a few seconds of silence before Dumbledore started to tell the storey." Professor Snape saw when Mr. Potter and Miss Granger entered the Forbidden Forest with Dolores Umbridge and he also saw when you, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood followed."

Ron understood that the headmaster was disappointed at them for not really contacting any teachers before the plan to contact Sirius at Grimauld place, even though he didn't say anything.

"He waited a while and when he understood that you were not going to come out, he contacted the order because he thought that you all had gone to save Sirius, where the so called "weapon", that were a prophecy, was hidden, like Mr. Potter had tried to say to him in Dolores office."

Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom was the only left and in the room with the veil, as I understand one of the rooms you were in before you got hit so you know witch room I'm referring to. They were still trying to protect the prophecy but they got stopped by Death Eaters. Bellatrix Lestrange used the cruciatus curse on Mr. Longbottom to get Mr. Potter to hand over the prophecy. He refused and luckily Sirius, Remus, Moody, Tonks and Kingsley arrived just then and a battle was trigged."

Ron listened carefully to be able to remember it all for Hermione because he knows she would kill him if he left something out.

"Macnair grabbed Mr. Potter and tried to steal the prophecy but Mr. Longbottom, whose nose were broken and he couldn't speak weary well and therefore not cast any spells, poked him in the eye with Miss Grangers wand"

"Sirius told Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom to run and went to fight Mrs Lestrange. Mr Longbottom got hit with tarantallegra; he could not walk properly so Mr. Potter had to try to carry him. They got attacked by Lucius Malfoy and fell to the ground and Mr Potter dropps the Prophecy to Mr Longbottom and hit Malfoy with Impedimenta. Mr Longbottom put the prophecy in his pocket and he and Mr Potter grabbed him once again and started to climb the stairs. When Mr. Longbottom tried to stand up on his own his robes were ripped open and the prophecy got smashed on the ground."

"Then I arrived and I managed to catch most of them...but not all I'm afraid." Dumbledore said with a sigh and looked away from Ron who looked at him a little confused. "Sirius and Bellatrix were still fighting and… I am so sorry to say that Sirius Black was killed."

Ron just sat there in shock not sure if he had heard the headmaster right. What, Sirius was dead…oh no...Harry!

"Mr. Potter cased Bellatrix up to the lobby and there, Voldemort arrived."

Ron came out of his chock and gasped, more at what had happened then the name for the first time of his life.

"I went after them and started to fight Voldemort but he escaped me and started to possess Harry, but before any real damage could be done the Ministry workers started to arrive and Voldemort disappeared, but not before Minister Fudge saw him. So I am glad that something good came out of this. Now he knows that Harry had told the truth all this time." Dumbledore said and looked back at Ron again.

Ron sat there in silence for almost a minute. So Sirius had been killed and Harry had fought Voldemort again, and were had he been, hit by a stupid drunk spell and then fighting some ridiculous brains!

"How did the brains attack me, I mean they were in that jar."

"What I've heard you summon them on your own."

"Oh that's just great!" Ron said putting his head in his hand and feeling the anger at himself growing by every second.

"Don´t blame yourself Ronald, people do stupid things when they are drunk, and it wasn´t your fault that you got in that state in the first place." The headmaster said as he got up from the chair he was sitting on.

Dumbledore´s word did little to ease Ron´s guilt but he nodded anyway to show that he would try not to.

"I expect you to inform everything tom Miss Granger when she wakes up."

"Yes professor." Ron answered and turned to Hermione´s sleeping form.

"Good, rest now Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter can visit you tomorrow." Dumbledore said as he started to walk out of the hospital wing.

"Professor, wait!"

"Yes."

"Could I sit with Hermione for a bit, please?" Ron asked and turned his gaze away from Hermione and to the Professor again.

"I´m afraid I can´t do that." Dumbledore answered. "Madam Pompfrey would be very displeased with me. But I can do this." He took out his wand and waved it. Hermione bed started to get closer to Ron´s until they were only a few centimetres away.

"Thank you Professor." Ron said.

"You're welcome, good night Mr. Weasley."

"Good night Professor."

When Dumbledore was out of sight Ron turned to Hermione again. She looked so small an even paler up close. She had her small left hand resting beside her and before he knew what he was doing he took it in his right. Ron had realized that he loved her now. It was scary as hell, he had never thought that he could find love at 14, and he knew that a person like her, a smart, beautiful and bloody brilliant, could never like him in that way. But he couldn't stop thinking about that kiss, which had been a little too long for just a friendly kiss; she had given him on the cheek before his first Quidditch match.

But now was not the time to think about that, now he was going to make up for failing his friends in the battle and bee there to help them heel. Ron looked at Hermione for a long time, she looked so beautiful there with her hair all over her pillow, and so peaceful. But he started to feel his eyelids getting heavier and the last thought he had before he fell asleep was "I´m sorry."

"Ron...Ron..." Ron woke up with a start. He had a dream about a woman who had been tortured. He didn´t see anything, he just heard her scream, the same scream that he heard before and it wasn't Hermione's, and he felt her pain. Panting he heard his name calling in a soft voice; he looked to his right and saw...

"Hermione, you´re awake!" he said happily as he got himself up on his elbows. "How are you feeling?" he asked feeling the worry build inside him.

"My ribs hurt a bit when I move and I feel a little weak but otherwise I'm fine" she said with a tired voice and a weak smile on her face.

"Madam Pompfrey were here a minute ago to give me some potions and noticed that I was awake so she examined me to and said I would make a full recover, and all my scars would heel." she said tracing her right hand a little above her chest where the spell must have been hit.

It was then Ron notice that he still held her left hand in his own. "Oh, sorry...I...I don´t know what..." he said and moving to let go of her hand just to be stopped by her.

"NO! Please don´t move away Ron" she said bough looking at their mixed hands and then in to each other eyes "please." She looked so tired and scared so he couldn't say any inter thing than

"Ok" and took an even firmer grip. He saw some of her fear ebb away.

"How are your arms?" she asked with concern written all over her face.

"Ah, Madam Pompfrey told you about that"

"Yes, I got worried when I saw you laying there so I asked her what happened to you. Did one of those brains really attack you?"

"Yes" he said looking away embarrassed, feeling the Weasley blush growing hot on his neck and ears. "Did she tell you how they came to attack me?" hoping that Dumbledore hadn't told Madam Pompfrey and therefore spared him some embarrassment by her telling Hermione.

"No she didn't, just what they did to your arms. Why, how did they come to attack you?" she asked with a weak worried voice. He was silence for some time, considering if he really should tell her or not before he burst out:

"I'm so stupid" he said frustrated and slapped his left hand over his eyes. He told her, feeling his embarrassment growing every second.

"Oh Ron, it wasn´t your fault..."

"I summoned it myself Hermione..."

"You didn´t know what you were doing, you were hit with a drunken spell." her voice growing stronger with anger. "It is I who should blame myself; I should have hit Dolochov with a Stupefy but no...I go with a stupid silencing charm and totally forget about non-verbal charms...

"Hermione stop, don´t work you're self-up, of course it wasn't your fault, it was the first spell you thought of and it did save your life thank God!"

"Then it wasn't your fault either, maybe it save your life to, who knows what happen to you if you didn't summon that brain and continued fighting, then you could have been hit with a killing curse or something else" she said a little bit of panic filling her voice and calming to his hand a little harder.

"I suppose..."

"Then stop it Ron." Her voice leaving the panic tone and goes back to the soft, weak and tired one.

"Only if you do." he said with a smile.

"Okay." she answered after a few seconds of silence with a weak smile on her face. "Madam Pompfrey said that Dumbledore came here to talk to you." she then said her face becoming serious again.

Ron looked away from her as the talk with Dumbledore came back to him. He didn't want to think about it, he didn't want to burden Hermione with it just yet, not when she still was this week.

"Ron, what happed after we got hurt?"

Ron didn't want to tell her now, but they were goanna meet Harry in the morning and if he didn't tell her now he knew she was goanna force it out of Harry when she saw him and Ron didn't want to force Harry to talk about Sirius. So he turned back to her and told her what Dumbledore had told him.

When he was done Hermione sat there with a shocked expression. Then when it started to sink in her eyes started to tear up.

"Oh, Harry!" she said looking away from Ron and started crying silently. "Oh poor Harry...It's not fair!" she said now crying more freely.

"Hey Hermione don't cry." Ron was not weary comfortable with crying girls, he never been. But when he saw her, lying here looking so fragile, his instinct started to kick in. He squeezed her hand "Please Hermione stops crying..."

"It's so unfair Ron, why does this have to happen too Harry? Oh Sirius!"

Ron wanted to hug her and comfort her in every way he could, so decided he would. Ignoring the pain he felt and swung his legs of the bed.

"Ron, what are you doing?" turning her attention back to him as he struggled to sit up. "Ron stop it, you're hurting yourself!"

Ron managed to sit up and because the beds was so close, he could just swing himself over without supporting his weight on his legs. He looked at her when he saw that he had made it to the bed without hurting her or himself. He took her other hand in his too and said "Please stop crying Mione." looking in her red swollen eyes after struggling to get his words in control. "I know that this isn't fair for Harry, but I also know that with our help he is going to get through this in time, we have to be strong and be there for him."

Hermione, who now had started to calm down, looked down at their entwined hands. "You're right Ron."

"What...What was that...did you just admit I was right?" Ron said in a shock mocking tone.

Hermione smiled at him and gave little chuckle. "I don' say that enough now do I, but...you are, quiet often." a little blush came up on her cheeks.

"Wait, wait I think I'm gonna faint, you have to let me take it in." he said closing his eyes and smiling.

"Oh shut up you prat!" she said laughing but then her face turned serious, a little sad and concerned. "I'm serious Ron, I don't say that enough but you really are!"

Ron looked at her and when he saw that she really meant it he smiled at her and said "Thanks." "They hold each other's gaze, Ron thought he saw something there, nerves and… was it longing, a kind of longing that he recon would show in his eyes when he looked at her, longing for him?

Before anyone of them knew what they were doing the started to lean in to each other, they grew closer and they were just a few inches away and..."Ow!"

Hermione grabbed at her ribs and started to fall backwards. "Oh my God Hermione are you ok?" Ron asked, bringing his arms around her and helped her lie back down.

"Yes I...it's just my ribs..."

Ron, thinking of what his mum had told them to do after Quidditch matches when their muscles had hurt laid his hands on her ribs and started to massage them with small circular movements. Then he realised that they were working just under her breasts and immediately moved them away. "Sorry!" he said. "I was just thinking what mom thought us to get do to the pain away from our muscles when we played Quidditch at home."

"No, It felt good, please continue. You know, if you want to."

"Oh." Ron said and looked up and saw her embarrassment on her cheeks. "Good." He said and started to rub her ribs again, trying not to look and think about how close his hands where to her breasts.

It was then Ron notice how close they still were. In fact so close that he couldn't help glancing at her lips again, she was biting her lower lip in a nervous, totally Hermione, way. He couldn't resist, he closed his eyes and after two years of waiting he, FINALLY, kissed her.

Ron heard Hermione gasp in shock and after a moment, she kisses him back.

Then he came back to himself and pulled away. He just stared at her, she stared back, her face locked in a stunned state. Oh my GOD, what had he done, he ruined their friendship, and he had to say something to fix it, QUICK!

"Oh… eh… H…he...Hermione I… I'm so sorry! Please let this not destroy our friendship because it's what's most important, it's ok if you don't like me back, and I'll try to get over it. I..."

"You like me?" She asked softly.

"Yeah, but it's ok if you don't..." he rambled on

"But I do."

"...I'll try to get over it so it won't destroy...our...friendship...what?

"I like you to Ron."

Ron sat there in total shock for what felt like many minutes, but must just have been for a few seconds, before her words sunk in to his skull. "Oh" She liked him back! This couldn't be real! SHE LIKED HIM BACK… WHAT?!

"Really?" he asked with a big grin his voice braking a little. He was sure he looked like a goofy maniac right now but he didn't care.

"Yes you poof!" she chuckled and her whole face lit up whit her own happiness.

"This must be a dream." he said with a softer voice and pinched his arm. "Ow, ok it's not a dream!" he said feeling his happiness rises with every second.

"Good. I would hate it if it turned out that I would be tough it would have been a wonderful dream" she said and then Ron notices a deeper blush creeping up to her cheeks. "Now, do you think that you could kiss me again?" She smiled a very big nervous smile.

He felt his own blush heat his neck and not to speak of his ears. "Yeah, defiantly" He lowered her down to the bed again and let himself follow so that he was leaning over her. And then he kissed her for a second time. It was a soft kiss with their lips moving slowly against each other. Unfortunate they needed air so several seconds later they slowly started to pull away.

Ron, who was panting, was in heaven. He could not believe what had just happened. "Wow" he hissed.

"Yeah, wow." Hermione said back. Ron opened his eyes to see his own grin reflect on hers.

"We should probably go back to sleep now, before Madam Pompfrey comes and catch us up wandering at this time.

"Yeah because I'm running around like a cat on these legs that can't even bear a mouse weight." he said chuckling.

"Oh shut up, you know what I mean you prat." she said smiling her weak smile at him.

Ron moved back to his own bed and crawled under the covers. When he lay in a comfortable position he reached to hold Hermione's hand again who he reluctantly had to let go to get back to his bed. He thought Hermione's grip had become a little more firm.

Then Sirius and Harry came back to his mind, he turned to Hermione.

"I think we need to let Harry come to us when he is ready to talk about Sirius, Mione." Hermione's smile faltered and a frown grew on her forehead.

"But Ron it is not good to bucker up sorrow like this, a person needs to talk about it and we know that Harry will not let it out some time soon, if ever."

"But we can't force, and you can't speak for every person Hermione, everybody has their own way to do stuff. Even if they are not always the best way to go about it's nothing someone else can do about it."

There was silence as Hermione thought about what he had said.

"Okay, I won't force him to talk about it." she said defeated. "But what will I say when we meet him, it's the only thing I will be thinking off." She looked so worried. Ron squeezed her hand.

"Don't worry about that Mione, let me handle that."

Hermione looked at him and after a while nodded, and then she smiled and said...

"I like Mione as a nickname?

Ron closed his eyes and could feel his ears grow hot. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize that I said it out loud." Ron opened his eyes and saw Hermione's own blush at her cheeks.

"It's ok; you can call me that if you want."

"Really?" Ron smiled in surprise; it was a name he only had thought of in his mind.

"Yes, it's rather cute actually." she said and looked at their hands. And Ron said the first thing that plopped up in his mind as usual.

"That's why it suits you." When she looked at him whit her whole face flushed he understood what he had said and felt he face burn like never before. But he did not look away from her he just gave her a shy smile.

"Thank you." she said and smiled her own shy smile back at him and squeezes his hand.

They lay there facing each other and before anyone of them fell asleep their last thought was...

"Finally."

AN: This is my first fic so don't be so hard on me please! I'm not from any English speaking country so forgive me if there's some misspelling. I've written about ten chapters and barely started so it's gonna be a long one. I'm gonna check the other chapters through before I load them up but that shouldn't take so long so please be patient =) R&R please!


	2. Visitors, a question and an understandin

**AN: I totally forgot to say that I'm not the great goddess of writing, J.K Rowling, and I don't owe any of her characters. But you probably figured this out already so I will only write this once. I will however create some new characters and you will meet them in later chapters. Hope you enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 2: Visitors, a question and an understanding.

Hermione woke up hearing a sound; it was like someone was trying to keep themselves from shouting out loud.

When she opened her eyes her vision was blurry but when it cleared she turned to look at Ron and ask him what that sound was. But she didn't need to, because the sound was coming from him. Ron was twisting and turning in his bed, his sheets were tangled and he was screaming and gasping like he was in pain. She tried to move her hand to him but she wasn't strong enough yet.

"Ron...Ron what's happening?" Dame her weak voice! Ron just twisted more and more as she struggled to reach him. She felt the panic rise higher and higher for every second that passed and the adrenalin flow through her veins helped her voice get stronger. She screamed as high as she possible could:

"RON WHAT'S HAPENING, PLEASE WAKE UP! Steps could be heard running towards them and when Hermione turned over she saw Madam Pompfrey running with some potions and a salve. She stopped at Ron's side of the bed, put the stuff down on his bedside table and started to shake him.

"Wake up, it's only a dream Mr. Weasley." she said while patting his cheek. Ron woke with a startle panting hard.

"Where am I? What happened?" his eyes disorientating around the room landing on Hermione's, and started to calm down.

"Take it easy and look at me; you just had a bad dream that's all." Ron averted his eyes from her and turned to Madam Pompfrey. "Now I have to rub this cream on your scars." she said and closed the curtain around his bed.

There was something in Ron's face that told her that that dream wasn't right. But she wasn't going to ask him while Madam Pompfrey was here.

The curtain was drawn away and Madam Pompfrey stepped out and said "It is time to take your potions Miss Granger." She took out her wand and conjured twelve different potions.

"Right I will tell you what these potions do..."

"It's all right; I think I know what they all are for." Hermione glanced at Ron, who were staring up the ceiling and didn't seem to know what was going on around him, but Hermione didn't want to take any risks because she did not want him to know what all the potions was for.

The first one she drank was light purple and was for her strength. The second one called _Anima Via_ where used to clear the airways. The third one was a deep shade of pink and was keeping her from infections. Then she got potions for the scar on her chest, concussion, her sprained ankle, blood restoration, two for healing small cuts and bruises, pain, one for internal injuries and a dreamless sleep potion that she would take a little later.

"You both will be here for about a weak so I can treat you're injuries. I'll be back in an hour to check on you again." Madam Pompfrey said and then walked away to her office.

"Are you ok Ron?" Hermione asked him concerned.

There were a few seconds off silence before he answered.

"I think I know where those brains came from and what they were used for." He said still looking up at the ceiling.

Hermione reached out to him as much, hoping he would take it just like he did last night. He took it and started to stroke his thumb over hers. She looked at him and saw that he looked drained and scared, but she didn't say anything, she had heard his words last night and wanted to let him talk when he was ready.

After a few more moments of silence he said "I think they were from people who had been tortured with the cruciatus curse and gone insane and eventually died."

After Hermione stopped gaping at him and came out of her shock she asked. "What made you think that?"

"Because, I had this dream about a woman who is being tortured with the cruciatus twice now. I can't see anything but red and hear her scream and...and..." He sighed and put his left hand over his face.

"Please tell me." she said and squeezed his hand. Hi lifted his hand away and said.

"In the first dream I didn't feel it at all; maybe I didn't have the dream long enough. But in the second one I had just now, I did. Just a little at first but it grew stronger and stronger for every second until I couldn't stand it anymore...

"You felt her pain didn't you?"

"Yeah I did." he signed.

Hermione looked at him staring up the sealing and felt tears well up in her eyes. "Oh Ron."

"It's ok Hermione, I don't feel anything now. It's just..."

"What?" she said in and soft concerned voice and took a tighter grip off his hand.

"I think it will get worse. I mean, Madam Pompfrey woke me up before I came to the part were that woman lost her mind and then died. And what will happen when we are back in our dorms and no one will hear me, cause I'm not gonna let anybody hear me scream like that in my sleep!"

"Ron, you have to tell Madam Pompfrey, you can't keep having dreams that make you feel the cruciatus curse every night.

It was silence for a few moments, Ron was still staring up the sealing, but then he turned and looked at her.

"How about we see if I dream about it tonight again and if I do I ask Pompfrey for at Dreamless Sleep potion?"

Hermione considerate this for a moment "Ok, I guess. But promise me that you tell Pompfrey what your dream is about if you get it again tonight." she said with a sharp tone in her voice.

Ron kissed her hand and said "I promise." And Hermione's gaze immediately softened at the feeling off his soft lips.

"What do you think they used the brains for?" he then asked.

Hermione thought for a moment and then said "I think the unspeakables kept them there, trying to figure out what happens to the brain when they go mad."

"Yeah, I thought so to and, I don't know, but maybe..."

"What?"

"Maybe this sound ridiculous, but I think they probably were working to find a cure to people who lost their minds to the cruciatus."

"Why would that sound ridiculous?"

"Well, I don't know."

"Well to me it sounds like a very good theory. Maybe they have a few healers working with them to." Hermione said in a thoughtful voice. "Are you ok if we let Harry in this to hear what he thinks?"

"Yeah, that's ok; maybe it will keep his mind of Sirius for a few minutes."

"Yes, it would probably be good for him." And we wouldn't get an awkward silence when we meet Harry.

"To talk about things we should and should not tell Harry..."

"Yes?"

Ron was looking nervous; twisting his hands and avoids eye contact with her.

Hermione was thinking about the kiss they had shared, that sweet and wonderful kiss, last night. Ron had not asked her to be his girlfriend but she hoped it was coming now.

"Maybe we shouldn't tell Harry about us, I mean not that I don't want to, it's just that he got a lot on his mind with Sirius, You-Know-Who and the Ministry, and maybe he would feel like he was left out or something. And maybe he would go in to himself even more, he really don't need that..."

Hermione just sat there, smiling, and let him drabble for a while, she was just too happy that he said "us". She understood that he probably wouldn't get to the "would you be my girlfriend" question without a lead, and she had the full intention to give it to him.

"Ron."

"Yeah?" He looked up at her. She notices he's ears and cheeks were all red.

"Is there and us?" she asked still smiling, feeling her own cheeks grow a little hotter. His whole face grew as red as tomato when he realized what he had said, he let go of Hermione's hand and hide his face in both off his.

"I'm so sorry Hermione! I've ruined it all before it even started. I'm so sorry; I really suck at this stuff."

"Ron, you haven't ruined anything. I think it was really sweet and you don't suck at it." She said willing to get him to understand that she wanted them too to be an "us".

"And like I'd said, you have not ruined anything so...if you want, you could try again."

"Yeah?" he asked, hid face going back to normal, except his ears who stayed as read as ever.

"Yes, please."

"All right." There were a few moments of silence.

"I'm sorry that I'm not doing this in a more romantic way and place. I'd pictured it that we were standing on the Hogwarts ground and I was goanna take your hands in mine like this." he said and swept his leg over the edge of his bed and stood up.

"I'm feeling stronger today." he said and sat back down at her bed and took her hands in his.

"And I would say in a deep handsome voice..." he hawked and spoke in a little deeper and more mature voice. "Hermione Granger would you do me the honor to become my girlfriend?"

Hermione were having a difficult time to hold her laughter back. "And then I would answer 'Oh yes of course Ronald, it would be a privilege'." she said almost cracking.

"And then I would snog you senseless." That was the last straw for both of them; they laughed and laughed until their stomachs were in cramp.

When they become serious again they laid their foreheads against each other's, still smiling.

"Do you really want to be my girlfriend?" Ron asked.

"Yes" she looked in to his eyes and started to drown in them like she had done so many times before "and could you please start that snog now?"

"Yeah, I guess I can do that." They kissed. At the start the kiss was slowly and gentle, but soon it grew more passionate. And when Hermione felt Ron's tongue at her lower, lip she opened her mouth to give him access and when their tongues met for the first time she thought she was in heaven. She felt his hands wander up her back while her own travelled up his chest to his neck and up in his beautiful red hair. Hermione didn't know how long they kissed but unfortunately they both needed air.

"Wow." she heard Ron say. "That was brilliant!"

Hermione opened her eyes to find Ron with a huge grin on his face which she discovered she mirrored back to him. "Yeah, wow." They laid their foreheads against each other's again.

"Brilliant." she heard him whisper, and it was the exact right word for it, she answered by kissing him softly again.

"You better get back to your own bed now, before Madam Pompfrey comes in and find us." Hermione said when they broke apart.

"Yeah, you're probably right." He said and went back. When he was under his covers again Hermione started to speak again. "And I think you are right to, about not telling Harry now. Not that I don't want to either." She said and smiling at him, feeling al small blush on her cheeks when he grinned his brilliant grin. "But he has a lot on his mind like you said, and then he probably would get more depressed."

"Yeah, we probably shouldn't tell it to anybody just yet because, well I think Harry has the right to know first and if we tell anybody else, the word would maybe reach him and I want him to hear it from us. If that's ok with you" Ron asked.

"Yes I think that is what we have to do." She answered. There was silence for a while before a very deep blushing Ron spoke in a small self-conscious voice

"B…but I h…hope that we still can find, you know, time alone for each other."

_"God he looks so cute when he is bushing!"_ Hermione thought to herself. She smiled at him, took his hand and looked in his Sapir blue eyes "I wouldn't live without it." Ron broke out in a huge grin, and then she heard the footsteps of Madam Pompfrey and reluctantly let go of Ron's hand.

"Ok you two, it's still early and you better get a couple of more hours to sleep and rest so that you can manage the visitors later. I think you're entire family is here Mr. Weasley and that's not going to be easy. Unfortunately your parents can't visit Miss Granger because of the wards. So they have agreed to that you stay here and finish your studying and they'll meet you at King's Cross as usual. Even though they weren't too happy about that when I told them what happened."

"Did they seem very angry?"

"They were angry at us but worried about you."

"Okay, thank you Madam Pompfrey."

"No problem, now I'm going to close the curtains so there won't be any chitchat. Is that okay for you Mr. Weasley or are you going to have another panic attack about that to?"

"No that's fine, and I didn't have a panic attack." Ron said frowning at the healer.

"Good, otherwise you could just call for the headmaster and he may fix that for you to without my permission."

Ron muttered something under his breath. Hermione had no idea what they were talking about and raised an eyebrow at Ron, but he just said "Night Mione." before Madam Pompfrey closed the curtains around them and Hermione just had time to say "Good night Ron." before he was out of sight.

Hermione woke up by the sound of Mrs Weasley's voice. Her curtains were still around her bed so nobody knew she was awake yet.

"Ron you need more ointment on your chest." she heard Mrs Weasley say.

"Mum, stop fuzzing, if I needed more than Madam Pompfrey would come and put on some. And don't speak so loud, you're waking Hermione." She heard Ron answer in a whispering, harsh voice. "They're gonna be fine Mum so just stop it!"

"Well I would be sure of it if you would let me take care of them to. But if you refuse I'm not even going to talk about them." Mrs Weasley said still in a small but angry tone. "How's Hermione doing?" Hermione here decided to make her presence known to keep Ron from making his mother even angrier at him.

"I'm ok Mrs Weasley."

"Oh great mum you woke her up."

"Ron its ok, I did not plan to sleep all day you know."

"I´m sorry dear, I'm just going to take away the curtains." Hermione herds Mrs Weasley get up and then the curtains were gone and a big bright sun was shining up the room.

"It's ok Mrs Weasley you didn't wake me up." Hermione looked around. "Were everybody else?"

"Oh they were here earlier but they didn´t stay long. Madam Pompfrey said that you two needed rest, but Arthur will be here later after he get off from work. We tried to convince Albus to let your parents come to but he wouldn't give in, I'm sorry."

"Oh that's ok; I will see them in a few weeks anyway for the summer." At this Hermione noticed that Ron, who had looked at her and his mother talking, snatched his head back to look at his hands. She decided to ask him what the matter was later. "Has Harry been here to?"

"No he hasn't." Mrs Weasley said in a sad voice. "Albus said that he was sleeping in his dormitory and was not to be disturbed. That we should wait until he comes down on his own. Poor boy, he has lost so much." She took out a little handkerchief to weep the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. "But anyway I have to get going and prepare for the emergency Order meeting. I'll be back with the rest of the family tonight." She kissed Ron on the forehead, waved at Hermione and went out of the room.

"Ron what's the matter?" Hermione said after she turned back to him. He was still looking at his hands.

"What, oh nothing, it was nothing." He said not looking up.

"Ron I can see that it's not nothing." There was silence for a while were Hermione just studied him.

"It just that I…" But he never had a chance to fore fill that sentence because the door opened and…

"Harry!" Hermione shouted happily.

"Hey guys." Harry said as he took the chair Mrs Weasley sat on earlier. "How are you doing?" he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He looked like he hadn't been eating or sleeping for days.

"We are fine Harry, we…" Hermione cut herself of and looked at Ron. Wasn't he going to say something, well if he didn't do it soon... She bit her lip; she knew that she had promised not to say anything but Ron didn't look like he was going to talk like he had promised to do, well if he didn't keep his why would she keep hers? She turned to look at Harry and he was giving her a pleading look that said that he did not want to talk about it, but she ignored it. "Harry…"

"No wait Hermione, please." Ron shot in between.

"Well den go ahead and say what you were going to say Ron!"

"I will, would you just give me a minute to gather my thoughts!"

"You know what, I don't have the energy to sit here and listen to you two bickering." Harry cut in and started to rise from the chair.

"No Harry, wait." Ron said. "We're sorry and we're not bickering ok." He added and looked at Hermione. "Please sit down again." Harry did so and after that there were a few moments of silence before Ron spoke again. "We are so sorry about what happened and were so, so sorry that we weren't there to help you. No don't interrupt." He added when he saw that Harry tried to speak. "We know that you don't want to talk about it now but we want you to know that when you are ready, we both will be here for you mate."

Hermione had tears in her eyes and she saw that Harry had some too, even if he didn't meet any of their gases.

"Thank you so much guys." he said when he looked up again. "I really appreciate this. And I promise that I will talk to somebody in time." He looked directly at her when he said this and she smiled at him. "And don't you dare blame yourself about this because this was entirely my fault and Dumbledore's to for that matter.

"Harry if this was anybody's fault it was Voldemort's and nobody else." Hermione said sternly

"No it wasn't Hermione; it was my fault because I didn't listen to you."

"Well then I say that I didn't try hard enough to stop you even if I did have a feeling that it was a trap. You can't go and say that it was your fault Harry; you have to understand that this would not have happened if Voldemort (she saw Ron shiver at the name) hadn't arranged it. If we go on and think that it was our own fault, it would slowly kill us" she looked at both Harry and Ron when she said this.

"Just of curiosity, why was it Dumbledore's fault?" Ron asked.

"I had a little chat with Dumbledore in his office right after…you know, and he told me about all the mistakes he had done under this year. He spoke about the bond Voldemort and I share and how it has grown stronger now when he has his own body with my blood in it." Harry said

"Yes but we already knew that it would get stronger." Ron cut in.

"Yes I now, but he thought that Voldemort was gonna try to possess me while I was with Dumbledore to get information, and Voldemort tried to do just that. When Mr. Weasley was attacked and we were in Dumbledore's office it felt like I wanted to attack Dumbledore. But Voldemort didn't possess me to kill Dumbledore; no Dumbledore thought that Voldemort did it to destroy myself. That I would blame myself for Dumbledore's death so it would lowly kill me. That's why Dumbledore has avoided me all year, that's why he didn't even made eye contact or why he didn't make me pref…he didn't want Voldemort to know that we had a stronger relationship than headmaster and student usually have.

"So that's why he didn't teach you occlumency and let Snape do it instead." Hermione said

"Yes that to." Harry answered in a frustrated voice. "There is something else I want you to know." He continued and put his hands in his head. Hermione thought that he would burst in flame any moment from the angry fire that she saw in his eyes; he rose from his chair and started to pace back and forth.

"What is it Harry?"

"He told me about the prophecy. Guess what, it was Trelawney who predicted it, that one boy would be born at the end of July, that he would be the one who had a chance to destroy the Dark Lord forever because neither can live while the other survives." There was silence for almost a whole minute. Hermione were in shock, this could not be true, it could not mean what she thought it meant. Ron was the one who broke the silence.

"But that mean…"

"That eventually, one of us must kill the other." Harry had stopped pacing and was now looking out of the window.

"Oh Harry." Hermione said with tears in her eyes.

"It's ok Hermione; I guess that I always knew that. Now that I know I it's a fact I just have to let it sink in." Harry said as he turned back to them.

"I'm really sorry mate." Ron said. "But you know that we will help you as much as we can on the way. At this Hermione didn't trust her voice so she decided to just nod.

"Thank you but I don't think it is such a good idea to hang around me anymore."

"Well that's just too bad Harry because you're stuck with us; we've been through this before and we will not abandon you."

Harry looked at them and then he smiled and said. "Well I tried."

"Can you tell us the prophecy?" Hermione asked.

He signed ad sat back down on his chair _"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."_

"Power that the Dark Lord knows not?" Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, Dumbledore thinks its love, but I have no idea how that's gonna help destroy the most powerful man of the dark!"

"Well we just have to figure that out on our way, but if it's ok with you, I won't think too much about it until I'm out of here." Hermione said.

"Yeah that's ok. You both rest for a while now cause I have to go, lunch is almost over." Harry said and started to walk out.

"Will you come when Ron's family comes back?" Hermione asked.

"Oh…eh…I try, I have some homework I have to attend, but I try, bye." He said and went off.

"Bye mate." Ron said. "He's not coming back today." He then said after Harry was gone.

"No, and he probably won't go to lunch either." Hermione added.

"All right you two, time to take your medicine and then you need to rest." Madam Pompfrey said as she came to their beds. When she was gone Hermione turned to talk to Ron.

"It was really nice what you said to Harry." she said and took his hand, then she started to chuckle. "I'm going to take back what I said about you emotional range of a teaspoon."

"Yeah, I may not have as many feelings as Cho Chang but that doesn't mean that I don't have any of them." Ron said and smiled back a little, but Hermione thought she saw something in his eyes; was it hurt? But it was gone as fast as it came so she decided not to dwell on it.

"We should try to get some rest, before your family comes back." She said kissed his hand and reluctantly let go of it, she didn't want anybody to see that they had fallen asleep whit their hands tangled together.

"Yeah, we probably need that."

"And try to sleep a little Ron, you look tired."

"Yeah I do that. G'night Mione." Hermione smiled and felt a shiver go up her spine when he called her that. "Good night Ron." She said and closed her eyes. Dreaming of a read headed boy and the word love.

**AN: Well there it was. Hope it wasn't too much misspelling and grammar mistakes. Thanks for the advice to get a Beta-reader, I created my account yesterday and didn't even know that they existed. I will get one or just ask my friend, who is much better in English than I am, to check them out. Hope you can survive with my grammar until then. =)**

**I began my tenth chapter and hit a writer's block, that's why I decided to start posting it and take a break to get some new ideas for it. Well after a day ideas are just flying through my brain and it looks weary promising. =)**

**I will probably post the third chapter later tonight or early tomorrow, depends on my ideas for chapter ten. **

**Thanks for reading it, r&r please and keep being nice! =) **


	3. Last night and a memory, or something

**AN: ****Hope****you****enjoy!**

Chapter 3 Last night and a memory, or something

It was the last night in the hospital wing, Ron were so tired that he could fall asleep standing up. But he was not going to, because then the nightmare would come back like it had the whole week. When the nightmare came the second night he had done like he promised Hermione and asked Madame Pomfrey for the dreamless sleep potion. It didn´t work, last night he got so sick of the pain that he got in the most uncomfortable position ever just to stay awake.

"There must be something we can do so against those dreams." he heard from his right. He turned over and saw Hermione with a thoughtful look on her face.

"When did you wake up?" he wondered.

"A while ago, have you slept anything at all?"

"No, but it's better than dreaming."

He and Hermione were forced to be weary careful with their relationship because of all of his family members who visited and Madame Pomfrey who came to do checkups or give Hermione her potions. But after checking to see that Pomfrey where doing something in her office and nobody were to enter through the door (Umbridge had been moved out of the hospital wing several days ago, checking every corner for Firenze), he or Hermione sneaked over to the others bed to steal a few kisses.

Their treatments were soon over, Ron's scars were still red and swollen but Madame Pomfrey said that she could do anything else for them; they just had to heal by themselves. Hermione had deal with her potions just once more, then they were just gonna stay a few hours to guarantee that nothing else happened.

"You can't stay up every night." Hermione said and sat up in her bed.

"I probably won't. But I'm gonna try, it's better than the pain." he said.

"Oh Ron, there has to be a way, why can't I think of one?"

"I don't think this have ever happened before Hermione otherwise I'm sure you would know It." he said with a smile.

She didn't smile back.

"Come on Hermione you herd Pomfrey, she said that the dream will go away in a couple of weeks, I'll be fine, what are you doing?"

Hermione had thrown of her covers and was standing up and started to walk to his bed.

"I was thinking that when I was little and had a nightmare I always felt better if mum or dad lay beside me until I fell asleep again, and I thought that…you know…this is somewhat familiar with that." Hermione said nervously and turning reader for every second.

"Oh…yeah that'll be nice…I mean…It may work…I mean…you don't have to if you don't want to Hermione." He rambled on, feeling his ears growing hot.

"Do you want to?"

"Well…yeah. But I totally understand if you don't…"

"I do."

They stared at each other at first but they started to smile at the same time still very embarrassed.

"Cool…I mean…ok." Ron managed to say at pulled his cowers back so she could get in. Hermione crawled in to his bed and lay on her side, facing him.

_Ok don't mess this up Weasley, is putting my arm around her to risky? Yeah it probably is, staying on your back is probably the safest call right here. God I have Hermione in my bed and she is planning on sleeping here. The woman that I've been ogling for such a long time._ _ God she is perfect, with her chocolate brown eyes and her hair that is all over the pillow. Her perfect round breast that he could stare at all…NO stop right there you randy git. All that's left is that you get a boner and she sees, or even worse, feels it. Then she'll think that you are a pervert and we would never be speaking to each other again. Now just calm down and try to go to sleep._

Ron took a deep breath and closed his eyes and tried to relax. He knew that Hermione wasn't sleeping yet and after a few seconds he felt her move, and when he felt her arm slip around his stomach he snapped his eyes open and looked down at a weary red faced Hermione.

"Is this ok?" she asked and looked up at him.

Ron couldn't believe this. "Yeah, wonderful." he heard himself answer and felt a warm feeling rise trough his body as he put his arms around her. "Is this ok with you?" He then felt her head came to rest on his chest and she warped her right leg over his. He took a firmer grip around her and felt himself relax more with every breath he took. She fitted perfectly against him, he sighed and felt like the happiest man in the world.

"Perfect." He heard her mumble already half asleep.

"Good night Ron."

"Good night love."

Ron watched her sleep for a moment before he drifted off and hoped really much that his bad dreams would go away for one night.

Ron woke up at dawn by something moving in his bed. He looked down and saw Hermione sound asleep on his chest. She looked so beautiful he thought and smiled, but he knew that Madame Pomfrey soon were gonna come with the last of the potions to Hermione, so he started to stroke her cheek.

"Mmm, five more minutes." She mumbled and snuggled closer to him.

"I would love that too Mione but Pomfrey is gonna walk in her any minute now, and I don't think she will be too happy if she sees us in the same bed." He said smiling at her.

Hermione sat up with a start and looked at him still half asleep. "Oh, yeah you're right." She said and started to get up. Ron immediately felt cold when she got out of there and stepped over to her own bed. But she turned around again, came back to Ron and pecked him on the lips. "Good morning." She said and smiled to him.

He smiled back. "Good morning."

"Did you sleep all right? Did you have any dreams?" she asked when she was back in her bed.

"Oh, yeah it was all right." He had had the dream but it wasn't as clear as it used to be and he didn't feel that much pain, so he decided that he didn't want to worry Hermione about it.

"You did have it, didn't you?"

Oh why could that woman read him so well? "Yes I did." He said ashamed, and looked down at his hands. "But it wasn't as clear as before and I didn't feel as much pain, and I got to sleep the whole night. Did you wake up because of me… you know… screaming or something?"

"No, I didn't. Oh Ron I'm so sorry it didn't work. I don't know what else we could do to take them away." She said with a deep worry in her voice.

"Hey Mione it's gonna be ok." Ron said. But when she saw that she had tears in her eyes he got up and stepped over to her bed, sat down and took her in his arms. "Hey what's the matter?" he asked and started to stoke her back while she cried in to his shoulder. "Shh, please tell me what's wrong."

"I'm sorry." She said between hiccups. "It's just too much, I mean Sirius is dead, he's dead Ron and Harry is so miserable, sad and…and…angry at everything. And we almost got killed, you got that dream that's hurting you so bad every night, and I can't do a single thing about anything. Not a dam thing." She had stopped crying and sounded frustrated when she said this, Ron didn't think she was talking to him anymo…wait a minute…she _swore!_ _Wow this must be really serious. _He thought, she was still rambling on and the only way Ron could come up with to stop her was to kiss her_,_ so he did.

Ron grabbed her shoulders, bent his head and kissed her on the lips. Hermione immediately started to kiss him back and Ron took a chance to lick her lower lip for permission to enter her mouth with his tongue. Hermione answered with such enthusiasm that Ron got a little shocked when he felt her tongue enter his mouth; he had always taken the lead before.

He felt Hermione's hands wander up his chest, around to his neck and in to his hair. Ron took his hands behind her back and started to rub it up and down. Then he heard footsteps and a door open and close. He and Hermione broke away and stared at each other.

"She's coming, go back." Hermione whispered harshly and pushed him away from her.

Ron jumped off her bed and in to his own, when he turned to Hermione he saw that she had already laid back down and closed her eyes to pretend to be asleep, and just as Madame Pomfrey turned up from her door he closed his curtains. He heard her move around Hermione's bed and he heard clinking of glass that was Hermione's potions, hitting the table.

"Miss Granger, wake up please, it's time to take the last of your potions."

Ron dared peak with one of his eyes to see how well Hermione would act like she just woke up, she almost fooled him

First she began to stir like she had the most peaceful sleep in her life, then she yawned and began to open her eyes who looked weary sleepy, she then turned to Madam Pomfrey who stood at the other side of the bed.

"Good morning Miss Granger, it's time for the last of your potions.

Hermione nodded and sat up and took the first potion.

"After you are done we wait for an hour for the potions to really take action, then I'm going to examine you and Mr. Weasley one last time and then you are free to go."

Ron closed his eye and focused on keeping a deep steady breathing as he felt Madam Pomfrey look over at him.

"Thank you Madame Pomfrey, I'll take my potions now." he heard Hermione say.

He heard Pomfrey's footstep fade away and a door open and close as she went back to her office. When he knew it was safe he opened his eyes again and saw Hermione swallowing one of her potions. "Wow Hermione you are a really great actress, almost fooled me." he said and smiled at her.

"Thank you Ron." she said but didn't smile back.

Ron saw that she still was upset from before, so he got up and went to sit at her bed again not really sure what he was gonna say but intent to make her feel better in some way.

"Look Mione" he said and took her hand in bought of his. "I am not god with words, so I apologies beforehand if I say something wrong." At that Hermione looked up at him and smiled, he smiled back, feeling a little more confident. "But I'm sure that Sirius is happy wherever he is. Sure he is not happy to leave Harry in this troubled times, but he is with James now, and what I've heard they are like Fred and George, and are probably giving Lily a hard time with their mischief. And Harry will get better, he will grief for quite some time but, with our help, he will get better. We just have to show him that we are there for him."

"And what about you?" silent tears had begun to fall on Hermione's cheeks again. "Even if it helped that I slept in your bed (Hermione's cheeks got a little red when she said that) I can't do that now that were getting out of here, it's too risky that Harry or somebody else would catch us."

"Hermione don't worry. Yes it helped a lot that you – that you slept beside me" Ron could feel the tips of his ears grow hot and he saw Hermione's cheeks grew a little more red. "But Madame Pomfrey said that the dreams will fade away with time. They haven't started to do that yet but the pain has so I'm sure that the dreams will go away soon."

Hermione still looked skeptically at him so he put his right hand over her cheek and added. "They are not gonna get any worse but I promise you that if they do, and I can't handle them then,

I will tell you and we'll work something out."

At this he saw Hermione's face soften. "All right I think I can deal with that, but only if you promise that with the slightly little change you will tell me, all right."

"I promise, and do you promise the same of you feel any different?"

"I promise." She said and smiled at him.

He kissed her on the mouth. "Now, take the rest of your potions before Pomfrey suspect something." He made to get up and walk to his own bed but Hermione grabbed a hold on his hand that still was on her cheek.

"Please stay here, we still have fifty minutes before Madame Pomfrey gets back to check on us and I want to spend as much time with you that I can before we have to get out of here. And I don't know how long it will be before we have some alone time again." She said and moved her covers to show him that she wanted him to get under them.

"Hermione I'm not gonna go without some alone time with you this last weeks of school before you go home to your parents, I'm pretty sure that Harry will go off to brood by himself and no, we're not gonna interfere when he does that." He said when she looked up at him from the potion she had started to drink. "But were gonna keep an eye on him when he does and constantly remind him that we are there when he's ready to talk. But I think we can find some time for us when he's not around."

"I don't know Ron; it won't feel right to sneak around behind everybody's back like that."

"I know Hermione, but we both agreed that Harry should know about us first and he isn't ready for that at the moment." He said as Hermione drank her last potion and snuggled up to his side in the same position she had fallen asleep in last night. "But I refuse to stop doing this with you until we tell him, we've wasted too much time already."

Hermione looked up at him and stared in to his eyes for several seconds before she answered him with a soft voice. "I wouldn't dream of stopping what we have finally found."

He smiled down at her and she smiled back and pushed herself up and kissed him hard and passionate on his mouth. When they both were out of breath Hermione pulled away a few centimeters. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that Hermione still had hers closed as she tried to catch her breath. He took the opportunity to study her wonderfully read lips, which were swollen from his kisses. And her not as frizzy hair like in first year was standing at an end from his hands that had run through it. She looked so dam beautiful and he felt like the luckiest man in the world.

Hermione opened her eyes and said with a mischief smiled on her lips. "I still think that we should make the most of the moment before Madam Pomfrey returns."

"I fully agree Miss Granger." He said and claimed her lips once more.

It was now around nine a clock and Ron had just been examined. He was gonna come back here every day to get some ointment on his arms and he was gonna get some to take home with him to.

It was about two weeks left of school and McGonagall had come in yesterday to say that He, Hermione an Harry could retake their History of Magic test that had been interrupted on Wednesday, as the rest of the exams had already been taken and they didn't have any more classes to attend, Ron had decided to really take this two days to study, he was grateful for this, otherwise he knew that he would have failed it because he never paid attention in this class. He also knew that Hermione would be weary pleased with him for it.

Now Ron was waiting for Hermione to be done with her examine so they could go down to their late breakfast. As he stood there and waited he wondered were Harry was now and why he hadn't come down to meet them. But he didn't have time to wonder for long because Hermione's curtains were drawn back to revile her and Madam Pomfrey.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Yes Mr. Weasley everything is fine, she has fully recovered." Madame Pomfrey said and started to walk towards the door and Ron and Hermione started to fallow her. "Now remember Mr. Weasley to come here every morning at eight a clock to get your ointment, and you both please contact me if you feel something's wrong." She said and opened the door for them.

"Don't worry Madame Pomfrey, I will be sure he goes down here and we promise." Hermione said as they walked out in to the empty corridor. Pomfrey nodded at them and closed the door.

"Ok let's go down to breakfast and see if Harry is there plus I'm starving." Ron said and started to walk but Hermione took a hold of his hand and rose up on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss.

"A last kiss before we go." She said and smiled and Ron smiled back. "And when are you not?" Hermione started to walk with Ron by her side.

"Hey I can't help that my stomach digests the food really quickly."

"Eww, I didn't need to hear that." She said and wrinkled her nose. "Anyway, if Harry isn't there we can always ask someone in the Great Hall if they have seen him. I think it was really mean of him not to greet us." She said and frowned.

"Yeah I think so to, well it's not like we aren't used to it now, him being mean." Ron sighed as they got closer to the Great Hall.

"Anyway, I think we should study after breakfast and I was going to go to the library."

"Yeah all right."

"Do you want to come to?" Hermione asked looked really surprised.

"Yeah, I really need to study for History of Magic if I want to pass because, you know, I haven't really paid much attention in class. And I thought that if we do it together we can help each other, though I think I would need your help more than you need mine." Ron said and smiled at her. Hermione just stared at him in utter chock.

"Who are you and what have you done with Ronald Weasley?"

"Oh ha ha."

"Seriously, do you need to go back to the hospital wing?"

"Very funny Hermione…"

"What's funny?" they heard a voice behind them.

They had reached the Great Halls entrance and just as they were to enter when they heard the voice that belonged to Harry. They turned around and saw him standing there, looking skinnier than usual.

"Hey mate; we just wondered where you wear." Ron said

"Oh I was just wandering around, sorry I didn't meet you guys I forgot the time." Harry said and looked down at the ground.

"Don't worry about it mate." Ron said though he knew that it wasn't anything Harry worried about. "Now let's go in and eat because I'm still starving and you look like food would do some good too you to." Ron said and grabbed Harry's forearm and started to drag him in the Great Hall and to the Gryffindor table. "Anyway, Hermione thought it was funny that I want to pass History of Magic and because I haven't paid much attention in the class, I had the intention to study it a lot these two days."

Harry just stared at him as they sat down with Hermione across from Ron.

"What?" Ron asked as he started to make some sandwiches and Harry still hadn't said anything.

"Just one thing, who are you and what have you done with Ron Weasley?"

"Why do you two keep saying that?" Ron asked but then smiled and Hermione started to laugh a little. Then he saw Harry smile for the first time this week, Ron looked at Hermione and she smiled lovingly back at him. After awhile when they were in the middle of their breakfast Ron suddenly felt a chock of pain shoot right through his body for like two seconds and was gone just as fast as it came.

"Ow!" he cried out pretty loud so that many heads turned o him.

"You ok Ron?" Harry asked looking down at an old daily prophet,

"Yeah, I just hit the table leg with my foot." He answered. Feeling Hermione eyes on him he turned around and immediately saw that she didn't believe fore one moment, "_Dame that woman was good_ _"_. The pain came and went through the rest of the breakfast and it grew worse for every time. He managed to not cry out again but when he finished eating, he had to excuse himself and almost ran to the lavatory. He went inside one of the boozes and put and imperturbable charm on it. The pain had not stopped since he left the table and when he knew that he was safe in the loo, he collapsed at the toilet from the pain and started to se red dots that grew until all was red and then he fainted.

_Everything was blurry; all he saw was a dark spot in the distance. Then he heard a sound that sounded like "usio" then it went black for two seconds. Then he woke up in unfamiliar room with unfamiliar people around him._

"_Can you remember your name?" one of them asked._

"_Yes its Ron Weasley. "Yes it's Tyra Powel." What, where the hell had that come from…oh…this must be one of his dreams. But he had only dreamed of when they got tortured until they went crazy, this must be how it feels afterwards. Ron suddenly felt very eager._

_She didn't say anything even though he…she had thought it. She just looked at the people, who Ron now had identified as Healers at St. Mungos because of their green robes._

"_Ok, your name is Tyra Powel…._

"_Yes I know I just said so."_

"…_and you are at St. Mungos hospital. Do you know why you are here? Squeeze my hand if you know." A man Healer said._

"_Why do I have to squeeze your hand, why can't I just say it? Oh well, as you wish."_

"_Ok, she is not responding to anything I'm saying and she can't speak."_

"_What? I am responding and I can spe…why didn't I hear myself speak?" Ron felt how this Tyra person began to panic._

"_I'm afraid she lost her mind as she got tortured, it's a real pity, and she's so young." The same male Healer said._

"_No I'm not crazy, I'm right here, please! Why won't my arm reach out? Why doesn't my body respond to me?"_

"_It's nothing we can do for her more then make sure she's comfortable as long as she is like this, which can be forever."_

"_I'll go and tell her family." A women Healer said and went out._

"_No, please help me. Oh I can't even cry. No I don't look away from them, please; I need them to understand that I'm still here. Oh God…NO I NEED TO BE WITH NICK, PLEASE LET ME OUT OF HERE! NO NICK NO NO NO!" And then everything went black._

Ron woke up sitting on the floor with his head and arms lying on the lid of the toilet. He opened the lid and vomited up all of his breakfast. When he had emptied his stomach he flushed, got up from the floor, lifted the imperturbable charm and got right to the sink to splash some water on his face. When he looked up in the mirror he saw how pale he was and how every freckle stood out.

"What the hell have I just seen?" Ron asked his reflection. He didn't have the chance to wonder because he heard the door open and when he turned he saw Harry standing there.

"Come on Ron, Hermione wants to go o the library." Harry said.

"Yeah, I'll come now." He answered; Harry didn't seem to see any different about him so he felt safe to step out. He wondered how much work he was gonna be able to do now but then decided that he should focus on studying right now and then he could worry about his…"Vision" later.

As soon he stepped out in the Entrance Hall and spotted Hermione he saw the great worry in her eyes.

"Are you all right Ron? You look very pale." She said and felt his forehead, which he felt was pretty warm against her hand, but he answered anyway.

"Yes I'm fine; now let's get this over with. You joining us, Harry?" he asked and turned to him, ignoring Hermione's glare at him that said "I know that you are not fine and I want to know why!"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Great, now let's go." He waited to let Harry go first and then grabbed Hermione by her arm.

"Something happened, I think it's quite serious and I will tell you but I don't think I can right now. I also have a feeling that it will come back but don't worry about it, you will know soon, I promise."

Hermione looked calmer by his words. She took his hand, which had rested on her arm, in her hand and squeezed it to say that she was ok whit that. Then they let go of each other and started to walk after Harry.

**AN: I know it's a lot of Romione fluff, but they're just starting to explore their new relationship and I promise that there will be more action and mysteries as the story goes on. **

**Once again I'm sorry for my grammar and misspelling, like I said I'm not from a English speaking country.**

**Thanks for the reviews! Keep them up! =) **


	4. A revealing of a theory

Chapter 4: A revealing of a theory.

Hermione was really worried about Ron; he had been working really hard with the History of Magic, though she's weary proud of him for taking this class seriously, finally. But once a while his face would frown, like he was in pain or something, and after a while he would excuse himself and just go away and come back 20 minutes later. Hermione had tried to get him to spill it at the few alone times they had had but he still refused to talk, so Hermione didn't dig in to it very much because she wanted every moment they had alone to be used wisely.

While Hermione and Ron had had made weary great progress in their studying time, just out of the blue one of them would ask a question to one another. And even though Hermione saw that Ron thought it was really boring, he had fought trough almost every book Hermione had recommended him, and she was so proud of him. But Harry just sat there, having a book in front of him but not really looking at it. He turned a page sometimes but when they asked him a question he just scoffed at them or gave them an "I don't know." And after a while ha just got up end left without a word.

The actual test Hermione didn't think was that hard, she thought she may had mixed up the dates of the death of Axel von Pontiac and Termeritus Shanks, but otherwise she thought she did well. Hermione had glanced at Ron who sat two benches in front of her and through half of the test she saw his quill stop in a mid sentence and he sat totally still, and then he started to write again like nothing had happened.

When Hermione was finished she saw that she had then minutes left and she decided to study Ron. She saw that he would freeze longer now than before and at the last minute of the test he just sat there, making small noises of pain. When McGonagall called for them to put down their quills, Ron hurried down the hall to turn in his test and then excused himself to the loo a. Hermione was sick of this and wanted to know what was happening to him so after she turned in her test she ran after him, only to be stopped by a locked bathroom door. "_Honestly, didn't he think she could undo a locking charm?"_ She said alohomora, tried to open the door and was honestly surprised when it didn't open. _"Has he imperturbable the door? I should know by now to never underestimate Ron Weasley_."She thought and smiled to herself but it faded really quickly.

She was really worried of him now; she was just going to decide if she would get a teacher when Harry came behind her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Hermione turned around to look at him.

"I'm trying to get to Ron because something is wrong with him but he has imperturbable the door." She snapped at him.

"What, what's wrong with him?" Harry said looking at the door

Hermione had just looked at him but before she could say anything the bathroom door opened and Ron stepped out. He stopped in his step when he saw them standing right in front of him, then he smiled a half hearted smile and asked;

"Hey how'd your test go?"

Harry just shrugged and started to walk away and Hermione had just stared after him. _"How could he not even care, I mean I know he's in a great grief, but not even care about your best friends well being. Sure he may not have noticed, but now I told him, and he just walked away." _But Hermione had decided that she would figure Harry out later and now pay her attention to her secret boyfriend. She tried to get him to tell her about what was happening to him but he refused as usual.

Now it was Thursday, Harry had gone some were she didn't know and Ron had dragged her out of the common room saying weary loud "Oh, no I think I forgot to return a book to the library, do you want to come with me?" Hermione, who sat curdle in the chair opposite from him had looked up from her book and saw the look in his eyes that said that he had something else in mind than return a book.

"Ok." Hermione had said and put away her book in her bag and stood up. Ron grabbed his and off they went.

When they had climbed out of the portrait hole Ron had grabbed her arm gently and lead her to the Room of Requirement. When they were outside Ron let go of her and started to pace back and forth three times. When the door appeared and they stepped in it looked exactly like the common room. But before Hermione had time to say anything about the room Ron grabbed and turned her around to kissed her hard and passionate on her mouth. Hermione felt her knees weakened when his tongue ask for permission to enter, she immediately granted it.

Ron took both of her hands in his and led her to the sofa in front of the fireplace; he sat down and pulled her down to sit on his lap. Hermione put her hands on his chest and let them wander up to his beautiful hair that she had wanted to feel between her fingers for so long. Hermione was lost in the sensation of his lips on her; they hadn't had as much time these last three days as they had talked about because of the studying and they being surrounded by other people, or Harry at some time.

But now, it war their last night at Hogwarts and because Hermione knew she could not say goodbye to him like she want to on the platform, she was determinate to do it now.

Ron broke away from her lips and started to place feather light kisses on her neck, and when he reached the nape between her neck and shoulder he gently sucked on it and Hermione heard herself let out a loud and deep moan. She felt Ron smile against her skin as he sucked again before he started to wander back towards her lips.

"Mmm how am I gonna last four weeks without your lips?" he said between kisses.

"You have lived without them for five years; I think you can survive without them for four weeks." Hermione giggled as she began to wander a path down his neck.

"Yes, but then I didn't know what it felt like, and now I honestly don't know how I ever lived without them." Ron said and smiled down at her. "I'm gonna miss you so bloody much!" he said and kissed her once again. With their tongues battling Hermione felt her hands wander to his hair once again. He moaned when she tugged it backwards. His hands had started to wander on her stomach and took the path around and up her back in to her hair and back down again, she groaned in to his mouth at the feeling of his hands on her. She honestly didn´t know how she would be able to be without him this upcoming month either, but her parents had complained to much about not getting to see her after she got hurt, so Hermione had agreed to stay at home with them for the first month of the summer and the next Christmas.

So tonight was the last with Ron: and she was going to enjoy every minute of it. His kisses were like a drug to her, it was still so new and exciting to explore him, and to be explored, and she just couldn't get enough. He drew her a bit closer and nibbled her bottom lip, she felt a tingling feeling she never felt before, shoot right to her centre. He broke away from her lips and started to kiss her neck once more and when he reached the soft spot again she let out a loud moan as she felt it again, even stronger.

"_Oh my God I think I'm aroused! God it feels good...way to good!"_ Hermione thought. "_Are my hands trying to work up his shirt? And his is trying to get under mine to!"_ Suddenly Hermione started to panic." _What if he gets_ _disappointed about what he feels and would never want touch me, or worse, kiss me again!" No I can't let that happen, I'm not ready for this."_ She put her hands up to his chest and started to push him away gently.

"Ron we need to stop." Hermione said out of breath but Ron didn't seem to hear her as he had started his journey back to her lips. "Ron stop!" she said a little louder.

Ron sat up straight immediately and looked down to his hand that had just started to slip under her shirt and jinked them away like they had been burned, a panicked look started to grow on his face.

"Oh my God Hermione I'm so sorry! I just got a carried away and when you started to tug at my shirt I just thought it was ok for me to do the same. I didn't bring you here to do that I swear! please believe me..."

Hermione silenced him with a quick kiss on his lips, he looked so cute all panicked and flushed with swollen read lips from her kisses, rambling on with his apology. "Ron, I know that you didn't bring me here for...that." she said feeling her cheeks heat up. "And I got a little carried away myself, but...please don't get mad about this...but I'm not ready for that yet."

"Hermione, why would I get mad about it?" Ron asked looking confused.

"I don't know, some guys can be..."

"Well I'm not one of thus guys, I think that is disrespectful. I understand why you are not ready...well I'm not sure if I'm ready myself for...that. I mean we are only sixteen and have only been together for a little less than two weeks, I think we have plenty of time for that later...if you're not planning o break up with me in a near feature." Ron said with a chuckle like he was only half joking.

Hermione just sat there looking up at him; feeling so much...was it love_? "Yes it was...I loved him...I'm in love with Ron Weasley. But I can't tell him yet, no it is too soon. Why is he looking panicked now? Oh I haven't answered him yet."_

"No I'm not planning to break up with you in the near feature." She said smiling and kissed him hard. "So you don't mind to go a little slow?" she asked after they broke away.

"No I don't mind, let's just take it as it comes, yeah?

"Thank you." Hermione said as he pulled them to lie down on the sofa with her head on his chest and his arms around her. They kissed some more before heading back to the real common room. Before they rounded the last corner in the corridor that lead to the Fat Lady's portrait hole they shared their last kiss.

When they entered the common room right before curfew they still couldn't spot Harry.

"He's probably already in bed." Ron said but didn't look that convinced by his own words. "I'll check on him, I need to start packing anyway."

"You haven't started packing yet?"

"No I..."

"Well you better start if you want to sleep some before the train leaves tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am! Ron said and did a salute witch earn him a swat on the arm and giggle from Hermione.

"Ow, not the arms." He said and clutched his upper arm.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry Ron!" And put her hands over her mouth in despair.

"It's ok; anyway..."he said and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I secretly like it when you nag me."

Hermione smiled as she felt the biggest flush she ever had creep up hear neck and cheeks. She saw that his ears were red to as his heart melting lope side grin got on his face.

"Good night." He said and brushed her hand before he took off to the boy's dormitories. Hermione signed and started to go up to her dormitory feeling giddy and happy. But when she went to bed she started to worry about Harry, a guilty feeling started to grow. How could she be so happy when he was so depressed? It was getting harder to not talk to him about Sirius with him. She hated to see him looking so sad all the time, but she promised Ron she wouldn't mention it to him and she wasn't planning to, not yet anyway. She just hoped he'd come back before curfew.

"Come on now guys, if you don't come now were not going to get any breakfast before the train leaves."

Hermione and Ginny were waiting in the common room for the boy's with their trunks and as usual Hermione's weigh like a ton with all her books, she was weary grateful for magic and levitating charms.

"Yeah we're coming now Hermione." She heard Ron's voice coming from the boy's dormitory stairs. Three pair feet and three trunks where descending from the stairs. When Ron, Neville and Harry came in to view, Hermione said.

"Oh honestly guys you can still use a levitating charm."

"Oh right." Ron said and rook out his wand and said "_Wingardium Leviosa"_. Then he looked up at her and gave her his lop side grin and she forgot what she was gonna say next. Ginny interrupted her daze.

"Come on now guys I'm starving and I don't want to deal with a hungry grumpy Ron on the train."

"Oi! Weary funny Gin, I don't get that grumpy."

"Right..."

"I don't! But I agree with you about going because I'm starving too." Ron said and started to walk to the portrait hole followed by Harry and Neville. But Ginny grabbed Hermione and intuition her to walk a couple of meters behind the guys.

"So how long have you been snogging my brother?" Ginny whispered to her as they climbed out of the portrait hole.

Hermione was so chocked she stopped in middle of her step and just gaped at her.

"What I'm not snogging your brother." her voice to high, cracking and her face filling with heat.

"Oh come on Hermione, I've noticed it in the hospital wing how you looked at each other and last night how bought your lips were red and swollen, he whispered to you and you blushed even more than you do now..."

"Oh all right we are together, but please Ginny you can't tell anyone because Harry can't know yet." Hermione said in a quiet voice.

"Yeah I don't think he can handle that right now, that's why I've been keeping it a secret this long."

"Oh that sounds trustworthy Ginny."

"Hey I am good at keeping a secret, some are just wrong to keep but I think this is necessary." Ginny said.

"Thank you Gin." Hermione smiled at her.

"Excuse me but I don't want to stay open all day." The Fat Lady said.

"Sorry Fat Lady." Ginny said and they bought went down to the Great Hall.

They had just found an empty cabin on the train, Ron was just done putting his trunk up on the shelf and turned to lift Hermione's.

"Gees Hermione how many books do you have in here?" He asked as he struggled to lift it off the floor.

"About twenty three I think, I got some new ones from my parent's this Christmas."

Ron just smiled at her, shook his head, put the rest of the trunks up and sat down against the window opposite Harry. Hermione sat beside him, Ginny beside Harry and Neville beside her. Luna, who had joined them in the carriage that got them to the Hogsmeade Station, sat beside Hermione.

"Want to play some chess Harry? Ron asked and started to take out his chess set.

"No." Harry just said and stared out of the window.

"Oh come on Harry; we can't just sit around for the whole ride."

"I said I don't want to play Ron." Harry said through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes.

"Ok don't get your knickers in a twist." Ron said and putting his hands up in surrender as Harry went back to stare out of the window.

"We have to go our last prefect round soon anyway Ron." Hermione said feeling both angry and sad for Harry.

"Oh yeah, maybe later then Harry?" Harry just shrugged.

"Hey where is your Mimbelus Mimbletonia Neville?" Ginny asked before Ron could say something more.

"Oh...eh Professor Sprout said she could take care of it over the summer, she wanted to study it some more, they are pretty rare...eh you ok Ron?

"Yeah I'm fine." He said as his face went back to normal. "I need to go o the loo, meet you at the prefect cabin later Hermione." he said as he walked out.

Hermione knew he was lying but she was not gonna betray Ron and discuss it with the others even though she wanted to know what the other thought about it.

When she came down to the prefect cabin she noticed that Ron hadn't arrived yet. She started to get worried and was just to decide if she was to check on him when the Head boy, Brian Grant, a short boy with blond hair from Rawenclaw, started to speak.

"Is everybody here, no? Well we have nothing that important to say so you can fill in your partners later." He said and then Eileen Farrell, the Head Girl, started to speak.

"You all have done a wonderful job this year so we just want to thank you all, if you come here to the front you get your patrolling schedule for the train ride." Hermione came to the front and saw that she and Ron had the second patrol an hour from now.

When she started to head back Ron came in to view looking pale and feverish.

"Ron, are you...?

"I need to speak with you" he whispered as he grabbed her upper arm firm but gently and dragged her away. He found an empty cabin and walked inside. He locked the door and pulled down the curtain. "I think I have discovered something." he said and started pacing. "I think that the brain that attacked me was from a person, a woman, Tyra Powel is her name. She had been tortured from the cruciatus curse, and she became...you know… like Neville's parents." Hermione had sat down and listened, a little shocked about what he told her. "How do you know this?"

Ron stopped in his pacing and looked out of the window. "You know when it looks like I'm in pain and I excuse myself to the loo?"

"Yes."

"Well in the loo I kind of pass out and... and I get those visions that I usually have at night." Hermione felt tears fall down her cheeks as she gets up and hug him.

"Oh Ron, you should have told me.""

"I didn't want to worry you." He says and hugs her back

"Is that why you didn't want to tell me?"

"Yeah partly but it was mostly that I felt that I had to figure this out myself, and I think I have." Ron said and Hermione saw an exiting sparkle in his eye.

"Tell me." She said as they both sat down.

"Ok, this day vision are different from the ones at night, this one began when she wakes up again. She's in the hospital and the Healers ask her name and she's thinking, Tyra Powel but she dosen't say it out laud even thou she thinks so. They ask her again and she is thinking, I said Tyra Powel, but her eyes just looks away without her commanding them to do so. The one Healer says that she is lost and asks who can tell her family. Tyra starts to panic and tries to get up but her body doesn't obey her."

Hermione just sit there, taking everything in. "So you mean..."

"That I think that everybody that has "lost their minds" to the cruciatus curse, hasn't lost them at all, they are still in there, they've just lost..."

"Their connection between brain and body." Now it was Hermione's turn to pace.

"Exactly, their brain has been functional all this time, that's why the Unspeakables haven't found anything wrong with it in their research. There is nothing wrong!"

"Do you know what this means Ron?" Hermione said smiling up at him.

"Yeah, maybe we can find a cure for it." Ron said smiling back at her.

"Yes and..."She rushed in his arms and felt tears in her eyes again. "You may just have gotten Neville a chance to get to know his parents." She looked up at him as she saw a grin start to form on his face.

"Yeah, maybe there is some hope."

"I'm gonna start research as soon as I come home, about the connection between body and brain and I think my mum and dad knows some doctors so I ask if they know something to."

"Let's not tell anybody yet though, though I don't question that you won't find a solution to this, but maybe we shouldn't get anybody's hopes up just yet."

"No not yet anyway. Not until we are sure that we have found a cure." she said.

"Yeah that's probably for the best."

"So every time you see the vision you feel the cruciatus too." Hermione asked worried.

"Yeah, but it's getting better. I feel less pain now and don't get sick afterwards anymore, I think I'm started to get used to it. And that can be good you know, for the future." He said giving her a half smile.

Hermione knew the he tried to make her feel better and not worry about him, but she did anyway.

"What can I do to make it better?" she asked putting her forehead against his chest.

"Hmm, maybe kiss me afterwards?" he said with his beautiful grin.

"Yes I can do that now but there are just a few hours before were at King's Cross so I can't do it after that." She said smiling.

"Well then I send you a letter afterwards and you can send me a kiss."

"Yes I'll do that but I better give you one now for the one you had a few minutes ago." And she did.

Hermione and Ron came back to their cabin after the patrol and lied that they had to take two hours because one in the Rawenclaw sixth year was sick.

The train ride went smoothly after that. Ron, Neville and Ginny switched turns to play chess or exploding snaps. Harry sill refused to play with Ron and excused himself for a walk. Luna was reading the last number of the Quibbler occasionally looking up to see when the others played. Hermione was reading one of her books, though she played chess with Ron once just to get him to stop begging. She lost as usual.

The train moved on quickly and in a blink of an eye, the train started to slow down and they were ready to get off of it. Harry had arrived back half an hour before and was now standing in the front of the line.

When the train stopped and they were on the platform Hermione saw Malfoy and his gang approach them.

"Your gonna pay for what you did to my father Potter! Your all gonna pay!" he said and looked at Ron and Hermione.

"Get back Malfoy, or you'll be sorry!" Harry said through gritted theat.

"What are you gonna do Potter, now when your dog to a godfather isn't here to protect you!" Malfoy smiled and his gang started to laugh.

Harry would have hit Malfoy if Ron hadn't grabbed on to him. "Don't worry Potter you will see him soon again!" Malfoy said as the wandered of his gang laughing even harder. Harry struggled against Ron.

"Calm down mate, they're not worth it." Harry stopped struggling and Ron let him go, Harry picked up his stuff and started to head to the brick wall that would lead them to their families.

Hermione spotted her parents almost at once after she wet thru the barrier and run to hug them.

"Hi sweetheart, did you have a good year? And are you ok?" her mother asked as they hugged.

"Yes it's been weary good, mum. And yes, I'm fully healed" She said and went to hug her father

"Hi pumpkin, God I've missed you!"

"I've missed you to dad. I'm just gonna say goodbye to my friends and we can be off, ok?"

"Right we wait here." Her dad said.

She went and hugged Ginny first and they promised to write to each other. The she hugged Harry and he hugged her back but not hard, she made him promise to write and tell him how he was feeling but she thought that he only agreed to it to get her out of his way. She hugged Ron last.

"I'll miss you!" she whispered.

"I'll miss you to! And write to me all the time, ok? And write if you find out anything but don't write what it is."

"I'll promise."

"Me too." They gave each other one last hug.

"Granger!"

Hermione looked over her shoulder and saw Moody approach them.

"The Order has put up awards around your house and has connected your fireplace to the floo network so that if something is to happen you can floo right to the Burrow.

"But we don't have a fireplace."

"You do now. Your parents think it is for you to contact your friends more easily for now, but they have to know what's happening in this world soon, ok. They too must have constant violence now, understand."

"Yes sir." Hermione said and looked down at her shoes.

"Hermione you coming?" her father shouted.

"Coming dad." She turned to Ron again and hugged him one last time and said "Bye." And then walked with her parents back to their car, feeling Ron's stare all the way.

**AN: **ykickamoocow111 **I looked it up just now and Ron dose still have a sense a danger. When the brains started to tangle around his arms he starts to shout "No… no… I don't like this… stop…stop!" But I can also see that the spell made blood come out of his mouth. So now it's quiet obvious that that spell didn't make him drunk. But I started to write this story from just the memory of Ootf. Even though that I've read it 9 times I've not read it since DH came out. But I think that I will sill stick to the drunken spell for now, because I can't come up with something else right now.**

**Oh I can't wait until you read the next chapter! I think its weary exiting! =) **

**Sorry for the grammar and misspelling, hope you could understand it anyway. R&R please =)**

11


	5. Fire

Chapter 5: Fire

It had been two weeks since Ron came home from Hogwarts. And with almost nothing to do but degenome the garden and play two sides Quidditch with Ginny, which wasn't that much fun.

He slept a little better at the nights now but still far from what he should do, in fact he lie awake in his bed right now, waking up from his vision, sweating but not feeling any sickness anymore and the pain lessened for every night and day. He must have stopped screaming in his sleep by now because no one in his family seem to noticed that he got tortured every night, or day. That was just as well, he didn't want to answer the questions that was would come if they heard him.

Hermione had been true to her word and send an owl right away, even at night, if he had a vision. However he decided not to send her one this nigh because Pig needed to get some rest.

Hermione wrote that she may have discovered something about their secret and she would tell him when they would see each other again.

Ron had only received a couple of letter from Harry, they were all weary short and only told him that he was fine and as usual the muggles pretended that he didn't exist, which suited Harry just fine. Ron was just glad that he was writing at all, maybe he was, finally, headed for recovery. Ron really hoped so because he missed his best friend. Apparently Hermione hadn't heard much more from him and she started to get really worried, Ron didn't know how long she could hold back and not pressure Harry for his feelings.

Hermione also told him that her parents planned a vacation to Greece and she couldn't wait to see the museums and learn more about the wizards there. However Ron didn't like that she were gonna go so far away from England now with You-Know-Who and his Death eaters on the move. But Hermione said that he shouldn't worry and that Moody and a couple of auror's had been over to put on some more protection charms and Moody told Hermione that an auror would accompany them. That calmed Ron down a little bit but he still had a bad feeling about it.

Ron asked permission to floo Hermione for some hours before she left and they were ok with it if her parents were to. Ron owled Hermione and she said that he could come two days before they were about to leave.

Ron was laid in his bed staring up at his orange Cuddly Canons walls. He was sick of this; he just wanted to have one night of sleep. "_Is that really too much to ask for?"_ He had been tossing and turning for almost forty five minutes. It was like this every night now.

He had just turned around on his stomach and could finally feel sleep coming when a bright light glared at him through his window.

"No please, not the bloody sun!" he groaned and put his pillow over his head. Then he looked at the time, it was two fifteen in the morning. "_The sun can't be up now."_ he thought and got up to see what it was. He stood by the window, it wasn't the sun but it was a ball of fire. The only difference was that his ball was flying right towards him. He just had the time to throw himself behind his bed in protection when the ball of fire shoots through the glass, blowing up half his wall on the way.

Ron grabbed his wand from his nightstand and looked up from behind the bed. The fire was spreading quickly and Ron could already feel the burning heat in his face and the smoke poisoning his lungs. He headed for the door, feeling them licking his feet.

"_What the fucks is happening?" _he asked himself as he had closed his door behind him. Thets when his mother came in view.

"Ron! What are you doing? Some of us are trying to..."

"MUM LOOK OUT!" Ron gelled as he saw a dark headed figure coming up the stairs behind her. Mrs. Weasley turned around just as the Death Eater shot a spell against her.

"Protego!" Ron shouted and it was just in time before the spell hit his mother. "Stupefy!" and the Death Eater flew down the stairs. Ron then felt heat on his back and turned around to see his door on fire and felt his clothes get burn.

"Augamenti!" Mrs. Weasley shouted and a beam of water shoot through her wand trying to beat the fire, it didn't work.

"Come on, mum we have to get out of here." He said and grabbed her arm as the smoke started to fill the air.

"You get your sister and I get your father." She said and they both rushed down the landings.

"Avada Kedavra" Ron felt himself get pulled down by his mother as a green light flew by, just above his head.

"Stupefy!" the spelled by his mother missed with a couple of millimetres.

"Crucio!"

"RON!"

The Death Eaters spell hit Ron in his side and he fell by the force of it, but it didn't hurt any more than it did in his dreams. He still felt pain and felt his body twitch a little but he could still get up.

"Petirificus Totalus!" he heard his mother's voice and felt the pain go away so he knew that the Death Eater was taken care of. "Ron, are you ok?" Mrs. Weasley grabbed his head between her hands and studied him worryingly.

"Yes, its fine mum, we have to hurry." He said coughing as the fire got closer and the some got thicker.

There was a big bang some were under them and then they heard Ginny's voice.

"What the hell is happening?"

They ran past both the unconscious Death Eaters and met Ginny at her landing.

"Were under attack, get your wand now Ginny and hurry." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Augamenti, augamenti!" they heard down stairs.

"Arthur?"

"Molly, the kitchen is on fire, take the kids and get out...STUPEFY!"

"ARTHUR!" they all ran down the last two landing. The whole ground floor was on fire. Ron counted to four Death Eaters two fighting his dad and two running towards them. Mrs Weasley ran to help their father as Ron and Ginny went to deal with the other two.

"Crucio!"

"Protego! Stupefy!" the Death Eater ducked.

"Avada Kedavra!" Ron threw himself at his right.

"Expeliarmus! Stupefy!" the spells hit the Death Eaters, he lost his wand and then flew back with such force right in to the fire, it looked like the flames swallowed him and the smell of burnt flesh filled Ron's nose. He heard something in the background.

"Ron, Ron! RON!"

Ron snapped out of his daze and started coughing franticly for all the smoke in his lungs.

"Come on Ron, we have to get out of here before the whole house collapses!" his father griped his arm and led him through all the stuff to get to the door. His mother and sister were already out on the field about twenty feet from the house. When they reached them several pops was heard and Ron and his family quickly put up their wands ready for more Death Eaters. Moody, Kingsley and a couple of more auror's, who ran directly to the house, came to view.

"Are you all, all right?" Kingsley asked.

"I think we are all just a little shaken and have some bruises, but otherwise we are fine." His father answered.

"Give me a report Arthur!" Moody said firmly. "How many of them?"

"There were four of..."

"It was six of them" His mother said her voice shaking. "Two we left unconscious on the stairs but we don't know if they escaped or if the fire took them."

"And two of them we know for sure that they are dead, the other two we lost track of." His father filled in.

"All right, they tried to break in at Potter's aunt and uncle to..."Both his mother and his sister gasped and Ron just felt sick. "But they couldn't get through the protection spells, which is odd because we used the same on your house, and from Grangers house we haven't gotten any information that the spells has been broken. But will check on them later after we have put down the fire." Kingsley said.

"What? Why won't someone go and check on them now, what if your protection charms didn't work at all at their house. It worked fine at Harry's, not so fine at ours, and maybe not at all on Hermione's!"

"Calm down Weasley, I'm sure the protection spells worked. I put up some myself just as I did on yours and they warned us."

"I won't calm down until someone check on Herm...!" Then it clicked for him. The two Death Eaters who they lost track of had in some way found out that their fireplace was connected with the Granger's and had escaped through that. The alarm wouldn't come off because they didn't have to break through the charms! The auror's would never have the time to put down the protection charms to get to them. The only chance was the fireplace and the Burrow were only seconds from collapsing.

"Ron where arE YOU GONING!" his mother shouted after him as he started to run towards the burning house. The door was on fire but he didn't care and jumped through it. The only thing on his mind was to reach the fireplace. He ducked out of the way as half the sealing went down but he hardly noticed. The smoke was so thick that he barley could breathe and the only light came from the flames. But he spotted the fireplace, which still was in one peace. The floopowder bowl had been destroyed but he found some at the floor, he grabbed it and tossed it in the fireplace and shouted as loud as he could with barley no air in his lungs "St Cross Road number Sixteen!" He felt himself spinning and prayed to whoever that listened, that he wasn't too late.

Ron landed with a thump on his stomach and almost vomited from all the spinning combined whit the sickness he felt over killing someone. He had to lie still for a while so he could calm down. He buried his head in the carpet to muffle the sounds of his coughing.

When he felt ready; he got up and stared to look around and listen for any sounds. He guessed that he was in the living room but almost everything was knocked over and destroyed. Then he heard a woman's scream coming from upstairs. Ron rushed to the hall where he saw the stairs leading up to the second floor. When he reached the top the screams had stopped and he hear voices from the last room at the left.

"You tell us right now, how we get in to Potter's house! Otherwise you can say goodbye to your filthy muggle mother!" A woman's voice said.

"I told you. I don't know!" that was Hermione's voice and it sounded like she was crying. When Ron got to the room he peaked round the corner and saw that there were three Death Eaters, so one more had manage to escaped the fire, they all had their back towards him. Mrs. Granger was lying on the floor, barley conscious, in front of one Death Eater who had his wand pointed at her. Another Death Eater was pointing his wand at Hermione and her father, who were unconscious. They both were bound with ropes and were placed against the wall. The third Death Eater had her hood down, she had really blond long hair, which was what Ron could see.

She pointed at the Death Eater who had his wand at Mrs. Granger. "Crucio!" he gelled, Mrs Granger's screams echoed through the house once more.

"NO STOP! PLEASE STOP!" Hermione cried. The Death Eater stopped at the blonde's command.

"Ready to tell us mudblood?" She asked.

"I said that I don't know. Please!"

"Can't we just kill them all now? She obviously doesn't want to tell us." The one who pointed his wand at Hermione said. "I want to finish what I started a couple of weeks ago!" he continued sounded smug.

"Not her Dolochov, but we can kill the mother now and then wake up her father to make him go through the same as his wife." She said smiling down at Hermione who had begun to cry even harder.

The blond one nodded at the one who had tortured Mrs. Granger who now raised his wand to finish her off.

Ron knew he had to act now. He took a deep breath, gripped his wand tight and rushed forward. "Stupefy!" he gelled and aimed at the blond one but missed. He ducked a spell from Dolochov and jumped on the last Death Eater to get him away from Mrs. Granger. They tumbled to the ground, Ron felt a sharp pain in his side but his adrenalin maid it go away real quick. Then he felt a blood in his mouth as the Death Eater punched him in his face to get out of Ron's hold.

"RON!" he hear Hermione yell and saw a flash of red before it hit him in the chest. He groaned and felt his body twitch al little from the pain of the cruciatus. He managed to get up slowly on his shaking legs to see that it was the blonde woman who had cast the spell. She had pointy face and grey eyes, she looked familiar somehow. Now she seemed to be in shock because of Ron's lack of screams and twitching of pain from her curse and Ron took the opportunity to act on it.

"Impedimenta!" he shouted but missed because of the shaking in his hands. But it was enough to distract her from her spell and Ron felt the pain leave him making the shaking stop too. Suddenly the Death Eater called Dolochov pointed his wand to the window and muttered a spell Ron couldn't make out the words. Then his wand made it back to Ron.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Ron ducked out of the way and then heard the spell hit the third Death Eater who was about to sneak up behind Ron.

"Dolochov, you idiot." The blonde girl shouted as the third Death Eater fell to the ground at his spell. She then closed her eyes and disapparated before Ron had the chance to throw another spell. He must have lifted the anti apparition charm to escape but Dolochov didn't apparate before he threw a new killing curse at Hermione.

"Accio Hermione!" Ron gelled and the spell hit the wall behind her as she came whooshing right at him and the both of them fell to the ground with Hermione on top of him. "Hermione, are you ok?" Ron asked as several pops was heard downstairs but he didn't acknowledge them.

"Yes. Just help me out of these." She said and struggled against the ropes.

"Diffindo." The ropes were cut and as soon as they were of, Hermione flung herself against him and buried her face in his chest. "Everything's gonna be fine, they are gone now." He whispered soothingly and kissed the top of her head and started to stroke her back.

"Ron! Hermione!" somebody called from downstairs.

"We're up here!" Ron gelled back.

"Oh my God, mum!" Hermione broke from their embrace and knelt before her mother who was unconscious now. "Mum wake up, please!" Hermione called as Bill, Lupin and Tonks rushed in the room.

"Ron!" Bill said and run and hugged his brother.

"Please professor, my mother is hurt." Hermione called and had started to cry again. Lupin rushed to her side and started to examine Mrs. Granger. Ron broke away from his brothers arms and went behind Hermione and put his hands at her shoulders. Hermione placed her owns over his and leaned back against his legs.

"Your mother will be fine, she may be in pain for awhile but with enough bed rest she will be back as new in a couple of days." Lupin said and Hermione let out a cry of relief and Ron got down on his knees and hugged her and she buried her head in his chest again. He didn't care if he got some odd stares from the others, Hermione needed him right now.

"What happen to your dad?" Tonks asked and started to examine him.

"He got stunned as he tried to fight the Death Eater's, then they tied both of us and put us against the wall. They started to ask me what I knew about the protection charms on Harry's aunt and uncle's house.

"Ok I think we keep the ropes on when I wake him up because he is lightly to be in chock and will panic a bit. _Enervate!" _Tonks were right as Mr. Granger almost at once started to fight against the ropes. "Mr. Granger, its ok we are not here to hurt you."

"Where are my wife and daughter? What have you done to them?" Mr. Granger shouted and struggled even more.

"I'm here dad, I'm all right." Hermione said as both she and Ron got up from the floor and Hermione made her way to her father. "Calm down dad so they can take away the ropes." He did and Tonks used the same spell as Ron did on Hermione before. When he was free he got up and hugged his daughter.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

"Yes I'm fine, you?

"Yes, where is your mother." He asked and turned his head and saw his wife. "Monica? No, MONICA!" he shouted and rushed to her and fell to her side. "What happened to her?" he cried out at them.

"Mr. Granger please be calm, your wife is going to be just fine. She has been hit with a curse called the cruciatus curse. It makes you feel like your blood is boiling in you wanes. An as I said before we woke you up, she will feel pain a couple of hours but she will be back as normal in about two days."

Mr. Granger calmed down at Lupin's words. "How long will she be unconscious?" he asked.

"We will wake her up now for a few seconds just to give her the location of the headquarters, which we all will move in to from now on, then we will put her back to sleep again and wait for a few hours to let her heal." Lupin said. "I will apparate with her first and then come back and then Hermione, Ron and your self will apparate with one of us." Mr. Granger nodded and backed away as Lupin woke his wife's to give her a note and disapparated with her.

Bill came and grabbed Ron hard by the arm. "Ow Bill!"

"How could you do this Ron? Running in to that fire! Mum is having a fit!"

"Well I couldn't just stand there and watch the auror's putting out the fire at the Burrow, when my gir...friend and her parents were getting tortured and killed."

"You should have told someone about what you knew before you rushed in to the flames!"

"I would never have made it to the fireplace, before the sealing went down if I had and they had never been able to take down the protection charms in time!"

"You could have died and we would have lost all of you!"

"Well now you didn't lose any of us!"

"Stop it both of you!" Tonks cut in. "What's done is done and the most important thing is that we're all ok, ok?" She said and looked at Bill.

"Fine!" Bill said and then looked at Ron, he gave him a light punch at his arm and smiled before he and Tonks went to talk to Mr. Granger. Hermione came and hugged him hard.

"What happened at the Burrow?" She asked and Ron was just about to tell her when Lupin came back.

"I'll tell you later." he said and as she pulled back a little, he looked to see that no one was looking at them. He kissed her quickly on her mouth. "Hi." He said and smiled down at her.

She was a little shocked at first but the said "Hi yourself."And smiled softly back at him.

"Come on you two, we have to go."

They broke away from each other and Hermione walked to Tonks and Ron to Bill, who grabbed his hand. Lupin handed Hermione's father the note where it stood _12 Grimauld Place _so he too could get in to the house.

"See you on the other side." Lupin said and Ron felt a tugging in his stomach as the air disappeared and they left for number twelve Grimmauld Place.

When they went through the door, Mrs. Black's portrait was off the second the it opened as Mrs Weasley came rushing down the stair and hugged Ron.

"Oh you stupid boy!" she said and hugged him harder.

"Ow mum, that hurt!" Ron said and winched.

"And how do you think it felt for me when I saw you running in to a burning house." She said and put her hands on her hips." Do you have any idea how worried I was? Thought you had burned up for sure when the whole...house collapsed."

"Mrs Weasley, if Ron hadn't come when he did, my whole family and I would be dead for sure." Hermione said with narrowed eyes

"And I am weary happy it didn't turn out that way, dear." Mrs Weasley said and hugged Hermione. "I just wished that he told us so that somebody else could have gone."

"There wasn't any time mum. You saw that the sealing fell down almost at once when I got inside."

"Yes, and I never want to think about that moment again." She said and hugged Ron again, softly this time.

"Excuse me Mrs Weasley but I really want to see my wife." Mr. Granger said.

"Yes of course. I'm just gonna fix Ron up, I think you have a broken rib, and then I will take you to your wife. And you can call me Molly, Mr. Granger."

"Thank you, and it is Henry."

Ron caught Hermione's eyes and they smiled at each other as their parents bonded.

"Lift up your pyjama top Ron." Ron did as his mother ordered and heard both her and Hermione gasp at the big blue bruise on his chest.

"Oh Merlin, you have three broken ribs." Mrs. Weasley said as she examined him with a spell. "_Episkey!_"

"Ow!" Ron felt his ribs go back in to place. And Mrs Weasley made the bruise both on his chest and his jaw go away to.

"You don't seem to have got any damage from the cruciatus, I just think you need a hot bath for that and relax a bit. I will now take you Henry to your wife. Are you coming Hermione?

"Yes." She said and looked at Ron before following his mother and her father.

When they were out of view, Ron went to help Bill and Lupin to pull down the curtain on Mrs. Black.

"Go to bed Ron, we'll handle this."

"I'm fine..."

"I think you have done enough heroic things for one evening Ron." Lupin said and smiled at him. And he was right Ron thought as he felt tiredness creep up on him.

"Yeah, all right. See you later." Ron said and headed up the stairs to his and Harry's old room. He decided to take his mothers advice to take a shower and went to the bathroom next door. When he looked at himself in the mirror he saw his burned clothes and the sot on his face for the first time. He looked awful and decided that a long shower was necessary. After twenty minutes he heard a knock and his mother's voice.

"Ron, I've found some old clothes from Sirius brother who seemed a little on the taller side. Maybe you'll fit a little bit in to them."

"Thanks mum. You can just put them outside the door and I'll take them when I'm done."

"All right."

Ron showered for another twenty minutes and felt his muscles relax a bit. He pulled a towel around his waist and opened the bathroom door to receive his clothes. He put on his boxers and his pajama pants but sense his and Harry's bedroom were just down the hall he didn't put his top on. He didn't plan to sleep in it anyway for the bloody heat this summer had brought.

He was so tired and just wanted to go to bed, but as he reached his door his tiredness was forgotten as he heard a soft noise coming from it. He pulled out his wand from his back pocket (you never know what dark things you could find in this house) and slowly turned the doorknob to enter it slowly. It was pitch black in the room except for one candle from his bed, which showed the tear strained face of Hermione Granger.

**AN: Well wasn't this exciting? It definitely was to me!**

**Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming! =)**

**Sorry for the grammar and misspelling, haven't got a Beta Reader yet.**

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	6. Love and cells

**AN: This chapter contains a lot of Romione love. But it's kind of important that you read it cause it contains stuff that are pretty important for the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 6: Love and cells.

Hermione had been in Ron's room, crying for almost thirty minutes. She was lying in his bed with one candle that lit Ron's side of the room, she thought of all that had happened this night.

_She had been sleeping peacefully in her bed when she heard a whooshing sound from downstairs. She knew that it was only the Weasley family that had access to her house through the Floo network, but as it was in the middle of the night and Ron wasn't suppose to come for a couple of days, she assumed something had happened. She took her wand and putted on her dressing grown and started to head out of her room. There was a loud bang coming from their living room. She heard footsteps running up the stair, which were right outside her room. Suddenly her father's voice came ringing from her parent's room._

"_What is the meaning of this? I demand that you leave my house at once!" he said._

"_Shut up you filthy muggle and tell us were your precious little daughter is!" a similar deep man voice said. "I have some unfinished business with her you see." It was Dolochov who spoke to her father._

"_That's not what we are here for Dolochov." A woman's voice said which Hermione did not recognise at all._

"_I have a gun, and if you as much as crack a hair of my family I swear I-won't-be-afraid-to-use-it." she heard her father said in an angry, daring, voice. But it didn't matter how daring it sounded because the Death Eaters just laughed at him._

"_Do you think that a little muggle like you could hurt anyone, of us?" Dolochov said while he laughed._

"_Stupefy!"a third voice said and then a loud "humph" as a body, which she knew was her father, crashed to the floor. She felt her blood boil and took her wand in a firm grip, she smashed the door up and started fire spells at everything that moved._

"_There is the Mudblood. Take her!" a blond woman with a pointy face said. Both Dolochov and the third Death Eater still had their masks and hoods on (so she didn't know who was who) cast a spell at her. She managed to duck out of their way towards the stairs. Unfortunately she was closer to the stairs then she thought. She tumbled down, hit her head at one step and felt dizziness enter her mind. "Get up!" she thought to herself, forced the dizziness away and got up on shaky legs. Her wand was still in her hand, as soon that she got up she turned around and shoot a stunning spell that hit one of the masked Death Eater in the chest, and he too tumbled down the stairs. She then ducked down behind the stairs as the other one send a Cruciatus curse at her._

"_COME HERE YOU FUCKING MUDBLOOD!" Dolochov shouted at her._

"_You better do as he say, otherwise you`re dear mother here will soon meet her end!" The woman shouted from the landing. _

"_Hermione, what's happening?." She heard her mother call in a small scared voice. Hermione felt fear replace the determination to save her parents. She put her hands up with her wand in her right one._

"_Accio wand!" the woman said and it flew to her free hand while the other was wrapped around her mother. "Restis!" the woman shouted and a rope shot out of her wand to bind Hermione. "Wingardium Leviosa!" Hermione felt that she lifted from the ground and started to float up the stairs. She then saw that the woman did the same to her unconscious father. She gave her mother a push as to say "Walk" and then carried both Hermione and her father to her parent's bedroom; that's when she had started to torture her mother for information from Hermione about how to get to Harry._

What if Ron hadn't come? Then her mother would surely be dead. And her father had then been tortured and then he would have me the same faith, and she would have been left alone.

Was Harry ok? She had heard nothing from him. He hadn't even sent a letter to ask if they were ok. Was he really that sad and angry that he didn't care? Or hadn't anyone informed him yet about what happened? Hermione highly doubted that.

And what had happened at the Burrow? When Ron came to save them, she gasped at the sight at him. He was pale and his clothes were burned and ripped here and there all over him. He even had some cuts on his face. And Bill had spoken about a fire and that Ron had ran in to it to get to the fireplace, and a sealing that had fallen down. She just had to ask him when he arrived from his shower.

Hermione then thought about the worst thing that had ever happened in her life. When Dolochov had fired that killing curse at Ron and he had only been inches from his death. Hermione's world had stopped at that moment. The killing curse was flying at him and she couldn't have done anything. She thought she was going to watch the love of her life (though she had never admitted it to him) die right in front of her.

Oh she wished that he would be here soon. She couldn't take it anymore, she needed to be in the safety of his arms, needed to feel his breath against her, feel the rhythm of his heart to know that he were still alive and with her.

"Are you ok, Mione?"

Hermione jumped and removed her hands from her face to see the worried blue eyes of Ron Weasley staring at her. He was crouched down beside the bed looking at her with concern.

"Sorry Mione, I didn't mean to scare you." She then came out of her chock.

"Oh Ron!" she said before she flew herself at his chest and started to sob freakily as relief washed over her. Ron sat up on the bed and held her to his chest, stroke her hair and whispered comforting words in her ear until her tears subsided. When she had stopped crying she just lay there for a while, taking in the comfort his embrace gave her. Ron let go of her just for a moment to sit against the headboard and then motion for her to lie beside him with her head against his chest. She felt his arm come around her and his fingers coming up to stroke her hair once again.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked in a soft whispering voice. Hermione felt a warm feeling creep inside her. He always makes sure that everybody else was ok before himself, which was one of the things Hermione loved the most about him.

They had not said the L word yet but that's what Hermione felt. She had first felt it in her second year, when Ron burped up slugs for her, though she hadn't known what it was. But she had discovered that it was love in her forth year, but hadn't accepted it until this year when Ron through Percy's letter in the fire and said that he would never leave them. So when Ron kissed her in the hospital wing, she almost screamed "I Love You!" right there. But she wasn't entirely sure that he would have said it back and she wanted him to say it first. And judging by the way he had acted this whole night, she knew that those three words weren't far away.

"Hermione?"

"Oh, sorry Ron, I got lost in thoughts." She said and looked up at his concerned face. "Yes I'm feeling a lot better thank you. I'm sorry I was such a mess and cried all over you, but I just needed to be here, and see and feel for myself that we were alive." She felt new tears well up in her eyes so she looked away and hoped that Ron hadn't seen them.

"Don't hide from me when you are crying, Mione." He said and put two fingers under her chin to pull her face back. "I hate it when you cry but I always want to know when you are so that I can make it better. And for the record, I'm right here and we are weary much alive, all of us." He smiled down at her, gosh she loved him. She hugged him and snuggled in a little more in to his chest while he tightened his arms that still were around her. "I need to tell you something."

"What?" she asked, her voice muffled by his chest.

"It's ok if you don't say it back but... I just want you to know." He said, nervousness filling his voice.

Hermione pulled herself up on her hands but was still leaning over him. Was this it? Was he really going to say the three words she had longed for to hear from him for so long? "What?" she said, cursing her voice for cracking.

"I was so scared that one of us would die tonight."

"Ron, don't say..."

"Wait, I need to say this so please don't interrupt 'cause then I will probably just screw it up."

"I won't say a thing until you're finished." Hermione said and smiled up at him."

"Thanks. Right, well as I said, I really thought one of us would die tonight, I was so afraid that I would lose you before I got to say..." he was looking at anything but her "... that I... hm hm... that I...love...you." even though the room were only lit by one candle you couldn't miss the blush spreading all over his face. Hermione had never felt as happy as she did then. She didn't cry of fear and sadness anymore, she cried because she was the happiest girl in the world. She did think that he would say it for a couple of months, never this soon. But now he had and she loved him so much she aced. She then felt him starting to sit up and move away from her and she realised how much timed had passed from when he said it.

"I'm sorry Hermione! I shouldn't have said this soon! It's ok that you don't love me back! Please don't cry. I'm sorry, don't break up..."

"Can you look at me when you say it?" Hermione said and put a hand on his chest to keep him still.

"W-what?"

Hermione smiled at him and stroked him over his chest. "Can you please look at me when you say it?"

"Oh!" he looked her in her eyes. "Eh...I love you." He had barley finished speaking before Hermione crashed her lips to his in a passionate kiss. When she was out of breath she broke away and laid her forehead against his.

"I love you to, you prat." She said and opened her eyes to see his cocked face.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes! I have fore such a long time. I love your humour, the way you smile, how excited you become when you talk about Quidditch and I can stare at you for hours when you play. I love how your brow furrows when you concentrate on an assignment or chess. I love how my heart flips several times when you walk inside a room." Hermione smiled and put a hand on his cheek. "And I love how you make me feel when you kiss me, like there is no care in the world. You make me feel so happy Ronald Weasley."

"Ok, you have to stop Hermione or I think my head will melt up from heat." Ron said his face red as a tomato.

"Oh no, then I wouldn't have any lips left to kiss, and we can't have that now can we?" she said smiling mischievously before kissing him again.

"I love you so much too Hermione!" Ron said when they broke away for air." I love how you care about everything and everyone, how passionate you are about _spe_...S.P.E.W." Ron blushed a little more."I love to listen to you when you ramble on about everything you know about everything, and I'm always proud of you when you get a question from a teacher right. And I will totally deny what I'm about to say to you if you ever tell anyone, but I secretly love it when you nag me."

"Oh I always knew that." Hermione said with a chuckle.

"I also love to watch you study, because you often bite your lover lip which drives me crazy, that is why I have trouble concentrating because I just want to nibble your lip for you."

"And now you can, well maybe not when I study, and when we tell Harry you can't snog me when there is any first students or to many people in the common room, and not in the library..."

"Oh come on, that is one of my biggest fantasies, snogging you in the library." Ron smiled at her. "Don't tell me that you never had that fantasy."

She had, many times in fact. When they had studied in the library she had often dreamt that Ron would just sweep the books away and just lift her up the table and snog her senseless, touch her or even more.

"I'm not going to admit anything, but either way we can't do that, so please agree to those rules." When she looked at Ron he was just smiling and then gave her his puppy eyes which almost every time made Hermione gave in at whatever he was begging her for...almost. "Ron!" she said a little annoyed and put her hands on her hips.

"Fine I agree. God I have missed you these two weeks." Hermione blushed.

"I've missed you to." Ron then grabbed her hands and guided her to his lips. They kissed passionately and it wasn't long before Hermione felt Ron's tongue lick her bottom lip to ask for permission to enter her mouth. She was happy to obligate and as soon that she did, their tongues began to massage one another. Ron didn't have a shirt on and Hermione brought her hands from his neck, were they had been resting, and began to run them over his muscles on his front around to his back.

When Ron broke away from her lips and started to kiss her neck, he hit the sensitive spot in the nape of her shoulder and neck, he'd become quite an expert on finding it now, and the strong tingling feeling she got more often now, shoot right to her centre. The feeling made her arch her back and press her breasts against Ron's chest and she couldn't help to let a deep moan that came out as "Oh Ron!" This coursed a deep moan from Ron's throat escape as he creped his hands from her back and under her pyjama top.

Hermione never wanted him to stop. She was aroused from his kisses, touches, it felt so good and she wanted it to go on forever. She didn't know how it happened but somehow her dressing grow had fallen from her shoulders and her buttons on her pyjama top had crept open. She didn't know if she had done it or Ron but now she were sitting there in her bra and she didn't give a dame. But apparently Ron did because he stopped kissing her as soon that she felt his hands on her breast.

Ron just sat there and stared at her exposed flesh and Hermione started to feel a little uncomfortable and self-conscious, she put her arms around to cover as herself. She knew the she didn't have the biggest breast, the nicest body or that she was the prettiest girl in the world, but after Ron had told her that he loved her; she thought that he had desired her maybe just a little. Apparently she was wrong. Her sudden shyness seemed to put Ron out of his haze, he looked up at her face but she avoided him.

"Oh Merlin's pants, Hermione I'm so sorry! I swear that I didn't mean for this to happen! I know that you want to take it slow and I swear I didn't mean to rush you... Not that I don't want to... but I don't mind waiting...oh bugger I'm just gonna shut up now."

Hermione turned her eyes back to him and saw that he had put his weary red face in his hands."You mean that you didn't stop because you didn't...find me desirable?"

Ron took his hands from his face and looked at her with a confused look. "Mione I...I stopped because I find you too desirable and... you said that you wanted to take it slow and now I'm here... taking avenged of you when you were sad and scared, I swear that I'm not that kind of guy, Mione! I understand if you don't want me to..."

"Ron."

He stopped his rambling and looked at her, still with a weary red face that was full of shame. "Sorry."

"I didn't stop you."

He sat there, looking at her with confusion written over his face. "What?"

"I said, that I... I didn't stop you, now did I?"

"Yeah, because you were sad and scared and..."

"No, I didn't stop you because, well, I didn't want you too." She took a deep breath and pulled her pyjama top off her, leaving her only in her bra on her upper body. She watched Ron's reaction, when he came out of his chock and looked up at her again he said

"Hermione I..."

"Ron I don't want to do this because I can't control my emotion, I want to do this because I love you. I trust you with all my heart and would tell you at once if I want you to stop."

"Are you sure? Cause I never want to do anything that you're not ready for, but my boy seems to have a mid of its own when we kiss." He said with a half smile.

"I'm sure Ron, now can you warm me up, it's getting a little chilly in here." She watched his eyes light up as she leaned down and kissed him passionately once again. Ron rolled her on her back and started to kiss her neck again, she was sure that there would be a hickey when she woke up but right now, she didn't care. She felt his hands on her bare stomach, his thumbs gently caressing her. He left her neck as his hands started to go higher and kissed her mouth once before he asked.

"Can I touch you, please?"

Hermione looked up at his blushing face, he looked so adorable. "You don't have to ask Ron, I'll stop you when I feel it's too much, ok?"

He smiled at her. "Ok."

Though she really wanted this, she felt really nervous. What if he didn't like them, hate them and stopped because he thought this was meaningless. But she needed not to worry because as soon Ron put his hands over her breast his first word was…"

"Brilliant!"

She released her bottom lip, which she didn't realise that she had been biting on until now, and smiled at his adorable, red face. When he squeezed her through her bra she stopped smiling and let out a moan.

"Is this all right?"

"Yes, please don't stop." His lips came down to hers as his hands still worked on her breasts. After about fifteen minutes she felt his hands leave her breasts to, slowly, sneak around her back and started to try to unhook her bra. Hermione didn't know if he was aware of this but she didn't stop him. It felt really good with her bra on; she could only imagine how amazing it would feel without it.

When he, after a few tries, finally got it open she felt him tense up and leave her lips. When she opened her eyes she saw the question "are you sure?" play in his. When she answered him with a smile he smiled back and slowly started to pull the stripes of her shoulders. She watched his face change from excitement to… she didn't really know… was it adoration?

"Beautiful." he whispered. Hermione didn't know if it was more to himself or her. Either way she blushed. "So soft." Hermione felt a shiver through flow her body at his gentle caress over her new exposed skin. They both let out a moan as his hands made contact with her nipples. Then he did something she didn't expect. He took her nipples between his thumbs and forefinger, gently squeezing and rolling them.

"Oh Ron!" He stopped.

"You alright?"

"Yes keep going and stop asking me all the time." She was starting to get a little annoyed.

"I love it when your boss me around." He smiled at her and went back to what he was doing. After a while Hermione looked up at him with her annoyed face again as he stopped, again! But then he asked "Do you trust me?"

She felt the annoyance flee from her "With my life." When she felt the first lick on her right nipple she arched her back and couldn't subside a loud "Oh yes Ron. Yes!"

Encourage by her words he started to flick his tongue around her nipple and gently suck on it as his other hand were massaging her left breast. He switched breast after a while. Hermione felt pressure build inside her belly. "Ron, for God's sake, don't stop!" a deep moan rumbled in his troth slightly and bit down on her nipple. That was all Hermione could take as realise hit her. As she came her body tensed and her back arched up as she started to scream out a loud "YES!" but they were muffled as he brought his lips over hers. When she relaxed again, Ron's lips left her and he lifted himself up on his hands.

"Are you ok?"

Hermione blushed but answered him never less. "Yes, brilliant!"

"Oh, that´s good, so that was ok? Did I do everything all right? I didn't hurt you right?"

Hermione smiled at his adorable, red face. "Ron, if you couldn't tell by the moans and…and my… you know… at the end, then I don't know what will Ron."

He smiled down at her. "So that was really an orgasm?"

Hermione was a little shocked that he could say it so easily." Y…yes it was." She watched as his heart melting lopsided grin spread across his cheeks.

"Wicked!"

"Ron! Can we please stop talking about it, you're embarrassing me." She said and tried to look away but his fingers under her chin stopped her.

"Why? I thought it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"I highly doubt that…"

"No I'm serious, Mione. Every time I look at you my world just brighten up. You are so beautiful when I first see you in the morning, and when I say good night to you. You are so beautiful when you're studying and biting your lip, when you write something down or when you mumbles to yourself when you're reading. You are so beautiful when we fight, your hair is every ware and you have this small blush on your cheek and fire in your eyes. And now when you're lying here half naked on my loan bed, crying out my name in ecstasy from and orgasm that I've caused… I have never seen something that… HOT in my life. I love you so much Mione!"

She was crying again, she was crying out of happiness and so much love for this mad man. She would never have thought that love was such over whelming feeling.

"When did you grow up in to this wonderful man?"

"When I woke up and saw you lying unconscious in that hospital wing."

"I love you so much you wonderful man." She lifted herself on her elbows and kissed him hard. When they broke apart and Ron rolled of her to lie on his back Hermione heard a groan off pain leave his mouth.

"Are you ok?" she asked concerned as she covered herself and lay on her side to face him.

"Heh… Em, no… eh, well I got a problem." She didn't think she had had ever seen his face turn so red before.

"Oh?" then he looked down as she followed his gaze which had landed on the huge bulge in his pyjama bottoms. "Oh!" she said once more and felt her own cheeks turn a weary bright shade of red.

"It will go away soon, I just need to calm down a bit, you know, and maybe think of something revolting." Hermione realise she had been staring at… it. She looked away and focused her eyes on his.

"Really, what do you think about?" she asked.

"Oh you know like Snape and Madam Pomfrey snogging or Snape and McGonagall, or my personal favourite, Snape snogging himself in Neville's grandma's dress."

"Oh My Merlin that is revolting!" Hermione said as they both began to laugh.

"Yes that is my favourite and most affective..."Ron then looked down at himself again and then up to her and smirked. "Thank you Mione, that was weary helpful."

"You are welcome." She smiled and bent down at kissed him.

"So, what did you find out about the brains?" Ron asked.

"Well first I asked my parents but they didn't know much. So I went to The Chantry Library, which is really close to where I live, and started to study the nerves cells which send out the signals that tells the body when you want to move and speak. There are the cells that send the signals to the cells in the brain where they work on which command you want and eventually sends them away with the cells that goes out to tell the body what to do."

"And I think that when you're hit with the cruciatus curse, that process moves to quickly and eventually, the cells in the brain "loss contact" with the cells that goes out to the body. Or maybe just stops to obey those cells but I think it's the first alternative."

"Yeah, that seems legit. So, do you know how to get the connection between back?"

"No not yet, and I'm afraid that I won't get a chance to study it until we're back at Hogwarts."

Then there was a knock on the door and Ginny's voice rang through it.

"Oi Ron, dad is back and he wants to see everyone in the kitchen. And can you be a doll and tell Hermione for me, I can't seem to find her anywhere." Hermione thought she heard a little giggle come from the door. She looked at Ron and saw panic in his eyes.

"Uh, yeah I'll find her and... and we come down then." Ron said not taking his eyes from hers. They heard more giggles and then footsteps fading away.

"She knows." Hermione said as she started button her pyjama top and her fingers through her hair to make it lay down a little.

"What? I thought we agreed not to tell anyone else before we told Harry!" Ron said in an angry voice as he got up and put the too small pyjama top on. At least it was whole.

"Oh relax, she figured it out herself and corned me on the train station. I had no choice but to tell her."

"Do we know that she won't tell Harry? I mean she just loves to get me and my not think of anyone else's feelings just to make a laugh out of me."

"Don't worry about her Ron. I think Ginny knows that telling Harry that his two best are dating just after he lost the only relative he had left isn't a good Idea right now." When Ron still looked sceptical Hermione took his hands in hers and squeezed. "Come on now, before they come up t search for us again." But before she could turn around Ron tugged at her hands so that she fell on his chest and he crushed his lips to hers.

"I love you." She said when they broke away.

"I love you too." She would never get tired of hearing thus words.

**AN: Puh! When I started to write this chapter I had no idea what to put in it and now it's one of the longest!**

**Sorry for the mistakes. You can keep reviewing English mistakes I make so that I can think of them in future chapters.**

**Thanks for reading! Review please! =) **


	7. A long morning

Chapter 7: A long morning

When Ron and Hermione came down to the kitchen everyone in the Order was there, sitting or standing around the table. His father stood behind his mother who were sitting at the end at the left, all his siblings, except for Charlie and Percy, were standing around the table together with Snape and some people that he didn't know who they were. Moody, Tonks, Lupin and Kinsley were there all sitting around the table together with McGonagall and Dumbledore at the end of the right side. Henry and Monica Granger were the only one absent. Ron looked over at Ginny and saw her smirking at Hermione and him. Ron felt his ears go red and gave her his best death stare which just made her smile more. Everybody who had been talking quieted down when Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"I am sorry to disturb you all when everything you probably want to do is sleep." He said and looked around the room. "But I am afraid there is some information that has to be shared, I will start."

"Albus, do you really think it's wise to let the children be here?" Ron's mother asked.

"Yes Molly, I think they have the right to know this. Last night five houses were attacked by Death Eaters. Except for the Burrow and the Grangers so were both the Longbottom's and the Lovegood's both attacked and there were an attempt to attack at Privet Drive number 4." A gasp went around the room. "You don't need to panic no one was hurt badly, just a few scratches here and there. We plan to move both families here later today. Now Remus tell me what happened at the Dursley's."

"Well when I got there Harry's uncle wasn't too happy, he, his wife and son was more worried about what the neighbour would say about the strange people in hoods that were circling their house then they were about their and Harry's safety. Anyway, the Death Eaters didn't manage to get through the protection charm; they were mostly circling around the house Harry said, like they were waiting for something or someone."

"Eh sorry to interrupt Professor Lupin, but I think they were waiting for orders and backup from the Death Eaters who were in my house." Everyone's eyes turned to Hermione. "When they came to my house and captured us they said that if I didn't tell them how to get through the wards on Harry's family's house, they...they would torture my parents to insanity and... and then kill them." Ron put his arm around her shoulders, he didn't give a dame about what the others would think, he wasn't just gonna let her cry. She seemed to appreciate it too as she leaned in to him a little.

"Thank you Miss Granger that answered what they were after. Please continue Remus." Dumbledore said.

"The neighbours have been obliviated, that calmed the Dursley's a bit. And the little damage on the neighbour's hoses from the few spells that the Death Eaters threw has been fixed"

"Professor, can you tell us how Harry is?" Ron asked

"Well he doesn't want to talk much and he seems to be angry at everything, but he did ask if everyone was ok."

"It isn't good for the boy to be with those horrible people, he needs to be with his friends and family. This house is much more protected then the Burrow, can't we take him here Albus?" Molly asked.

"I agree Molly that he should be with friends and family and yes, this house is more protected than the Burrow but I don't know if he would be any happier here. But then maybe it would be good for him to deal with the loss of Sirius here, I think he would, move on so to say, a little faster." Dumbledore looked above his half-moon caped glasses at Ron. It was like he tried to tell him something, but Ron couldn't for the life of Merlin figure out what it was. Then he broke his stair and said "Yes I think we should plan to transport him a couple of days before his birthday. But we'll talk about that later now Arthur, tell me what happened at the Burrow"

"I think Ron have to start as it was in his room it all started." Everyone turned around to look at Ron.

"Oh eh, well I was asleep" he lied. "when a bright light came through my window, first I thought it was the sun but then I saw it was like two in the morning and too early for the sun to be up, so I got up to see what it was and the next thing I know I'm jumping behind my bed as a ball of fire fly through my window." He told them how the fire had almost followed him and how fast it had spread. Then he told them the whole story until when they all were out of the house. He felt Hermione's hand on his lower back, where it was out of sight; trace small circles when he told that he had been hit with the cruciatus and, with deep regret in his voice, when he had cursed that Death Eater to fall in to the flames.

"When you regret killing a murderer it just shows you how good you truly are. I'm not saying that you should be proud of yourself, but I want you to think about that maybe you just saved a lot of innocent lives." Ron stared at the ground but nodded at Dumbledore's words. He looked over to Hermione who smiled recurrent at him. "Then, as I understand, you heard Alastor tell your parents that Harry's house had also been attacked?"

"Yes, and he said that they had checked on the Granger's and everything seemed ok, but then I remembered that our fireplace was connected with the Granger's and some of the Death Eaters in our house had just disappeared. Then I understood that they had used it to get to them. I didn't have the time to explain what I had discovered because I saw that the sealing was about to collapse at any second and the auror's would never had had the time to get the protection charms down before it would've been too late."

Dumbledore nodded. "How is the Burrow now Arthur?"

Mrs. Weasley started to cry and his father put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm afraid that the Burrow has been burnt down to the ground."

Even though Ron had a feeling it would be like this, he still felt like he just had swallowed a big stone. His childhood home were gone, burnt down, they Weasley's were homeless.

"We're gonna build it up again of course but it will take some time, and money. And I know what you are going to say Albus, but the answer is no, we are not going to take any money from you. And there is no idea that any of you offer because you know that the answer are the same." Mrs. Weasley laid her hand over his on her shoulder to calm him down. Mr. Weasley sighed again and spoke more calmly. "We just have to ask Harry if we can stay here for a while when he come."

"Why do we have to ask him dad?" George asked.

"Because Sirius has left his house and all his belongings to Harry in his will." Mr. Weasley answered.

"Really? Wicked!" Fred and George said together.

"Now Miss Granger," Dumbledore said. "I already know most of your story so you don't have to tell it but I would love to see your parents, want to know how they are doing so if you please come with me, Mr. Weasley you can come to." Dumbledore said and looked at Ron. "Now I suggest that the rest of you get some well earned sleep."

They all started to get up and leave. Ron and Hermione followed Dumbledore up the stairs to the second landing where Mr and Mrs Granger at the last door to the right (Hermione and Ginny was the second door to the left). Dumbledore knocked on Mr and Mrs Granger's door.

"Come in."

When they got in Mrs. Granger sat up in bed against the headboard and Mr Granger sat by her side in a chair holding her hand. But when Ron, who was the last one who got in, Mr Granger's eyes immediately went to him and it made him feel weary uneasy.

"Henry, Monica, how are you doing?"

"Oh we are ok, I feel a little stiff but otherwise I'm fine." Mrs. Granger answered. "How is everybody else?"

"Everyone is fine, there were a few scratches here and there but otherwise no one was really hurt."

"That is wonderful to..." Mrs. Granger silenced as Mr Granger got up and walked right to Ron. Ron was so choked when Mr. Granger put his arms around him and hugged him, he even forgot to breathe.

"Thank you so much, thank you for saving my family, thank you!" Even though Ron only were 16 he was 6 feet tall and Mr. Granger, who was quite short, only reached him to his shoulders. When he pulled away Ron remembered how to breathe again and managed to get some words out of his mouth.

"N-no problem."

Mr. Granger went back to his chair and looked back to him. "Hermione told us what happened and if you hadn't come when you did my wife would be dead. If there ever is something we can do for you, don't be afraid to ask, alright?"

"You don't need to thank me. I sure if anybody else figured out that the Death Eaters had used the floo network to get to you; they would have rushed to help you to. I just happened to be the first and in these times we all have to stick together and look after each other."

"Either way so are we weary grateful Ron, and our offer still stands." Mrs. Granger said. Ron looked over to Hermione to see her beaming proudly at him. "Thanks." He said as he turned back to her parents

"Is it ok if I sit down?" Dumbledore said and motioned with his had to de bed "I'm and old man and I don't seem to have as much strength in my legs as I used to."

"Yes of course Professor." Mrs. Granger said and scouted herself up a little.

"Oh please call me Albus, now as to why I asked to come up here. I think that it were for the best if you, Henry and Monica, also stayed here with the Weasley's. Just until we know that it's is safe."

"What about our dental practise?" Mr. Granger asked.

"We will make your co workers believe that you have gone on a really long vacation the whole summer and we will find replacements so you won't lose any appointments. Even for tomorrow."

"What do you mean until its safe?"

"We are going to create a safe house with a Fidelius charm on it. The house will be built from scratch and make sure that it will be comfortable for you as muggles. You will still be able to work at your dental practice as I will personally come an escort you every morning."

"What does the Fidelius charm do?"

"It is protection charm that will make a house or a place become invisible and make people forget it exist, except for the secret keeper who is the only one that could tell other people about it." Hermione answered like she was reading from a book.

"That is absolute correct Miss Granger. This house for example has the charm on it; you remembered that you got a note with this house address. I am the secret keeper for it and I wrote it down for you. I would like you to choose your secret keeper now if that is ok and it should be someone that you truly trust." Dumbledore said.

"Well there is no one we trust more than our daughter." Mr Granger said.

"Unfortunate it's easer for a secret keeper who is related to the ones in hiding to give the secret away under torture we do not know why this is.

"Oh, who do you think then Monica?" Mr Granger asked his wife.

"Well we don't know many wizards beside the Weasley's and Harry, and we know them mostly from what Hermione has told us and not from actually meeting the persons."

"If I may, I would like to give you a suggestion?" Dumbledore asked and the Granger's nodded. "I suggest that you make Mr. Weasley here as your secret keeper."

"What?" Ron and Hermione said in unison.

"Please let me explain." Dumbledore said as he put up a hand to stop their protests. "As I understand, you got hit with the cruciatus curse twice tonight and did not feel the amount of pain a normal man would do. And therefore if you would be captured and tortured for information it won't work on you."

"But what if they tortured me in other ways, it's not like that I don't feel pain anymore...sir." he added when he in his anger remembered who he was talking to.

"Can you please stop talking about you being torture?" Both Ron and Dumbledore turned their attention to Hermione and Ron felt his anger immediately subside and put his arm around her when he saw tears rolling down her cheeks."

"Sorry." He muttered as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"I am weary sorry Miss Granger but I am almost finished." Hermione took a deep breath, straightened herself up and nodded at him to continue. "As for your worries Mr. Weasley, anyone who is a secret keeper could relive their secrets under any kind of torture exceptionally from a cruciatus, but it doesn't affect you and as I know, you are a weary loyal person and it would take a lot to break you."

Ron felt really tired and just wanted to go to bed and sleep on it. But he knew that Dumbledore wanted an answerer now but what if he screwed up, he would never forgive himself if he was responsible for Hermiones parents' deaths.

"Professor, my I speak with Ron for a minute?" Hermione asked

"Of course Miss Granger, but don't take too long." Ron felt Hermione take his hand and drag him outside.

"I can't do this Hermione." Ron said as they stepped out to the corridor.

"Are you still having your dreams, fits or whatever it is?" Hermione asked both wonder and worry on her face

"Don't call it fits! It sounds like I have some psycho disease or something." Ron said feeling offended.

"Sorry, but you know what I mean."

"Yeah I still have them." Ron said after a moment, not looking at Hermione. "I don't have as many through the day now, but I still have them every night. They are the reasons why I don't feel the cruciatus as much anymore." Hermione looked around him to check if they were alone then she took his hand in hers.

"Yes I thought so too. And I hate it that you have gone through with this and I haven't been here to help you. I've been worrying about you every day."

"Hey it's ok Mione, its ok. I'm fine love, I'm fine." Ron said as he put his arms around her as she buried herself in to his chest. They just stood like that for a couple of minutes before Hermione spoke again.

"Did you just call me love?" he felt her smile against him as a blush blossomed all over his face.

"Yeah I guess I did, is that ok?" he looked down at her.

"Yes I quite like it but we have to be careful when we say it."

"Yeah, until we tell Harry." After another moment of silence Hermione said:

"I think you should be the secret keeper Ron, or rather I want you to be." Ron pulled her away from his chest but didn't let go of her.

"But what if I screw up Hermione? I would never forgive myself if something happened to them because of me."

"Ron I know that you wouldn't screw something like this up, I can see that this is too important for you. And Dumbledore was right, it would take weary much before you would relive anything about anything you love and care about."

"You really trust e to do this?" Ron asked in a softer voice.

"Ron, there isn't a person on this planet that I trust more then you, I love you." And he could see that she meant it. Ron sighed; he couldn't resist her when she looked at him that way.

"Alright I'll do it." He said "And I love you to." He smiled down to her and she leaned up to what he assumed would be just a peck on the lips but he put his hand on her cheeks to keep her there. And as her arms came around his neck he put his hands on her waist and maid her lean against the wall as he licked her lips to ask permission to enter. Permission granted. When their tongues battled for dominance Hermione's hands started to wander down his chest and around his back, pressing her breast against his chest and still massaging her tongue against his.

Then Ron withdrew a little to capture her bottom lip between his and sucked. A moan escaped both of them. The he felt her hands press on his chest and he immediately stopped. "Sorry, did that hurt?"

"No not at all, but as much that I want to stand here with you all day we are in the middle of the corridor and Dumbledore and my parents are waiting for us."

"Right, you are right." Ron stepped away and they both started to smooth their clothes and hair. Then they looked t each other, both thinking the same thing. That none of them knew when the next opportunity for them to kiss would be. "I love you."

"I love you to."

That were the last words they said before they got back to her parents room.

When they got back in the only change were that Mr. Granger had gotten up from his char and was standing by the window and that Professor Dumbledore had taken his place by the bed. "I hope you had a nice chat." Dumbledore said looking over his half-moon caped glasses with a smirk, Ron got a feeling that the headmaster knew that, chatting, wasn't the only thing they had done. Ron swore sometimes that that man could read other people's minds. Ron looked over to Hermione who nodded at Dumbledore with a blush on her cheeks. "And Mr. Weasley, have you come to a decision?"

"Eh... yes I have...eh I will be your secret keeper, eh if you'll have me of course." He said and turned to Mr and Mrs. Granger.

"Yes Ron we would be honoured to have you, after all that Hermione has told us about you and for what you just did for us, we trust you more than anybody else." Mrs. Granger said while her husband nodded at him.

"Really? Well then she couldn't have spoken all badly about me." Ron smiled at Hermione with raised eyebrows.

"Oh no, not at all." Mrs. Granger smiled.

"Mum!"

"Quite the opposite actually." Her dad said chuckling.

"Dad!" Ron just smiled at the panicked look on her face and made a mental note to ask her about it later.

"Well then it is decided, I will come back just before you can move in and we will perform the charm that includes you Mr. Weasley. Now I think it's best that we give you some rest, Henry and Monica I bid you good night. Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger if you come with me please." Ron and Hermione said good night to her parent's and walked after the headmaster in to the corridor. "Now I suggest that before you go to bed, you should talk to Miss Weasley. I know that she knows you secret and that she promised not to tell anyone but I think she would like to know when you will tell Harry about it."

Ron just stood there in chock, the greatest blush he ever had on his face. He looked at Hermione whose face mirrored what he felt. "How did you know sir?" Ron asked when he could breathe again.

"Oh my first clue were when I saw you in the great hall for the first time after you had been released from the hospital wing, and my guess were confirmed when I saw you come down to the kitchen together this morning and I saw the look she was giving you when you came down." Dumbledore smiled at them when he said it but now it faltered. "I do support you decision on not to tell Harry yet, but I don't want you to wait too long, and neither does Miss Weasley. Harry may be grieving but if you wait until he is well, he would just back even more in to himself, and I don't think it would be good for any of you. I suggest that you tell him before the school starts."

Ron looked at Hermione to silently know what she thought and when she nodded at him he said "Yeah we will tell him before the summer is over."

"Good, now you need to tell Miss Weasley that and that she can't tell him herself. You need to tell him when you think it's time."

"Yes professor." They answered in unison.

"Now I bid you good night as well and I'll see you in about seven weeks when house should be ready." With that he walked away and out of sight when he rounded the corner to the stairs.

Ron and Hermione stood still for a moment, trying to make all that had happened this night and morning sink in. Eventually Ron took her hand in his and squeezed it. "Let's go talk to Ginny, yeah?" Hermione nodded and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek before they walked to where Ginny and Hermione slept.

"Ginny, can Ron and I come in?" Hermione called after knocking on the door.

"Yeah come in you two." Ginny said with a light tone. "Well hello love birds, how nice of you to join me instead of snogging each other."

"Shuddup, Ginny!"

"Ron." He felt Hermione hand on his arm. "Calm down."

"So when do you think Harry is ready for the big news? I don't think it would be wise to wait much longer, h would only get more depressed and I think he would be happy for you guys. And I don't want to be the only one who would see the "look of love" that you give each other every time you look at one another. I also want to take the mickey out of you with for example Fred and George, and Harry for the matter" Ginny said and smiled at them

"Ginny, if we tell Harry now when he's sulking more then he have ever done before he will first, seek me up and beat me to death, then he will go and sulk for the rest of his life cause he would feel even lonelier then he does now."

"RON! Don't say that!"

"What? He would not Ron!" Ginny said, ignoring Hermione.

"Would to!"

"Would not!"

"Would to!"

"Would not!"

"WOULD TO!"

"WOULD NOT!" the siblings stepped closer to each other with every sentence. When Ginny was right under Ron's nose Hermione interrupted.

"WELL ANYWAY!" she said loudly but when she got their attention she took a softer tone. "Dumbledore agreed to not tell Harry right now, so even if you don't want to listen to us Ginny, you have to listen to him."

"Dumbledore knows?"Ginny asked and both Ron and Hermione nodded "Fine I won't tell him. I hate it and I think you're cruel not to tell him but if Dumbledore thinks it's a good idea I will shut up for know."

"Thank you. And we promised Dumbledore that we would tell him before we go off to Hogwarts again, so it won't be that long." Hermione said.

Ron felt like he hadn't slept for days so when he spoke he said "Good, now can we please get some sleep. I feel like a dead man walking."

"Can you please stop speaking about our death? And that's called a zombie." Hermione said.

"A what?" both Ron and his sister asked.

"Oh never mind, I'm too tired to explain it. Come one Ron, I'll walk you out" Hermione walked up behind him. When she closed the door she threw herself against him and he captured her in a bear hug. "That you again Ron, for everything."

"Stop thanking me Mione, anyone else would have done the same."

"No they wouldn't and you know it. Now good night." She looked down the hall on both sides and then kissed him. He tried to deepen the kiss but she pulled away and went back inside before he had a chance. Ron felt a stupid grin grow on his face. "Good night." He said to the empty air and walked up to his and soon to be Harry's room.

**AN: Sorry for the delay, work got in the way.**

**Thanks for the tips to improve my English, though some of them were just typos.**

**You know what to do! **


	8. Getting Harry

Chapter 8: Getting Harry

It's been a week since the attack and the Hermione, Ron and Ginny had once again been put to get Grimmauld place 12 as clean as possible. Hermione felt irritated, Mrs. Weasley had put the three of them in different rooms so they had no chance to talk about anything. For example why Harry hadn't written to any of them (Ginny had told Hermione that she too had been trying to send some letters to Harry. She also said that she was trying to let the crush on Harry go and had started to write to Dean Thomas, but Ron didn't know that and therefore Ginny threatened to tell Harry about herself and Ron if Hermione told Ron about Dean) who that blonde Death Eater woman at her house was or what the Order meetings where about. And if they weren't cleaning there was always someone else in the room with them. And worst of all, this had led to no alone time with Ron which had led to some bickering between them. Nothing serious, both of them new why and both of them were sick of it.

It was three a clock in the morning and Hermione was laying wide awake in her and Ginny's room. It didn't matter how much she turned, she couldn't fall asleep. She had had trouble sleeping all week even though she was exhausted every evening from all the cleaning. Every time she closed her eyes she had nightmares. Her mother was once again tortured but Ron didn't come in her dream, in her dreams she saw her mother get tortured and then killed and the same happened to her farther. Ginny had to wake her several times each night so nobody else would wake at her cries.

She decided to grab a book and go to the drawing room to read a bit before she would try to sleep again. The fire had burned down so she lighted a candle, grabbed a quilt curled up in the corner of the sofa and started to read one of her old Aritmancy books. One hour later Hermione was so engrossed in her book she didn't hear someone enter the room.

"You don't even stop reading for some sleep?"

Hermione looked up only to find Ron leaning on the doorframe. They looked at each other; both knew what this time would lead to. Finally! "What are you doing up?" she asked.

"Just needed to use the loo." Ron walked over to her and sat down on the sofa. When he came in to the light she saw that he only wore pyjama pants. She stared down his chest, from his broad shoulders and his muscular arms to his stomach where a six-pack started to show, probably from the Quidditch practice last year. She followed his line of hair from his bellybutton to his pants and wondered how long that hairline was reaching. She also wondered if he had freckles everywhere, she surely was going to count them sometime. "Earth to Hermione!"

"Huh?"

"I called you three times. I asked what you're doing up." Ron said with a smirk of mischief. Liked he knew what she had been thinking of. "But if you rather stare at my chest instead of answering, I won't mind." He said rising he eyebrows seductively. Hermione blushed deeply and let a giggle unintentionally slip from her. It was only Ron that could get a giggle from her.

"Well when a handsome guy come in with his gorgeous chest showing it's kind of hard to put p a straight thought." She said smiling when it was his turn to blush. He had put his left hand on her quilt covered knee. She couldn't take it anymore. Being here with him and not be able to kiss him was worst then being away from him. The only thing they had been able to do was holding hands and playing footsie under the table. But now they were finally alone. She put the book on the table in front of the sofa, tucked her feet under her and leaned over to Ron and kissed him.

Ron placed his hands around her waist and pulled her on to his lap. "I'm sorry my family... can be a bit... crazy, Mione." Ron said between kisses.

"Don't worry about that now; let's just make up for lost time."

"I like the sound of that." She felt him smile against his lips. They kissed passionately for God's know how long. Their hands started to wander, she was stroking his chest and arms, he's was on her legs. She gave a little yelp when he suddenly flipped her on her back against the sofa but she immediately got quiet again when he leaned over to kiss her again. After a moment he's lips started to wander down her neck. Hermione stretched her neck to give him more access. When he reached the hem of her neck and shoulder she moaned. Then he sucked it and Hermione started to grind against his leg. His hands came under her tank top, stroking her up over her stomach gently touching her breast with his fingertips.

Hermione shuddered and arched her back as he slowly cupped her breast. They weren't particularly small but his hands were so big that he easily covered them. "Is this ok?" he asked in to her neck.

She was panting hard. "Don't you dare stop!" She moaned his name several times as she felt her climax build and when he started to roll her nipples between his thumb and index, she couldn't hold back any longer. She started to shout his name but was cut out by his lips as waves of pleasure ran through her. "Wow."

"Yes, wow." Tiredly Hermione opened her eyes and turned her head towards Ron who was lying on his side against the back support.

"That was wonderful." She said and turned to her side and snuggled her face in his chest, arms around his back, his around hers. "You're wonderful." Hermione didn't have to look up to know how much he was blushing.

"Yeah well, you're bloody beautiful when...hum... you come."

She was bushing just as much now but she was smiling neither less. She felt her eyes getting heavier and Ron was relaxing more and more against the sofa. "We can't fall asleep Ron." She said only half awake.

"Uh-hu" was his answer and before they knew it, the drawing room were filled with Ron's soft snores and Hermione's heavy breathing.

Hermione opened her eyes with a beam of the first light from the window, right in her face. She grew angry at the sun; she was so comfortable, well rested and warm. Ron must have put on the blanked some time during the night.

Hermione flew up from the couch and on to the floor taking the sofa table with her. Ron woke up and he too flew up from the couch, but stayed on it with wand in hand looking around the room for the source of the noise.

"What... what´s happening... who´s there... What are you doing down there?" he asked when he saw Hermione on the floor.

"Well I'm not down here because I found a galleon you moron." She whispered very annoyed and started to get up. "I fell of the couch when I realised that we have been sleeping here, together, when anyone could have walk in on us." She stared down at his chocked, half sleeping face. "You where suppose to keep me awake, not let me fall asleep. What didn't you understand in that?"

"Well excuse me but I think I was asleep before you."

"Well you could at least had woke me up when you did in the middle of the night, instead of spreading a blanket over us and go back to sleep again." Hermione felt the anger rise more and more.

"What? I didn't spread a bloody blanket over us in the middle of the night." He said when he to rose to his feet.

"Well you must have because it was over us when I... woke... up..." Hermione's voice went from an angry whisper to almost nothing when she came to a realisation. "Oh. My. God! If you didn't put it on us and I didn't do it, then someone must have been in here and seen us." She started to walk back and forward around the room, panic rising more and more for every step she took. "Oh my God! Oh Merlin! Oh my God, who can it be, it could be anyone, what if it is Fred or George? Then we are truly done for, they will tell everyone even if we get to them first. Oh Merlin, what should we do?" she looked over at Ron "Well don't just stand there Ron! Do something!"

"Ok first of all calm down, second, it couldn't be Fred and George because they're not sleeping here." he said grabbing her shoulders a little firm, making her look at him. "We just have to go down to breakfast and if someone mentions that they saw us laying here, we just tell them that we stayed up talking last night talking and the fell asleep on the sofa." He smiled calmly and put his warm hand on her cheek.

Hermione leaned in to it and felt herself calm down successive. "You have been right quite a lot lately." She smiled up at him.

"Always the tone of surprise." Hermione could not resist his lopsided grin. She leaned up and kissed him softly but still passionately.

"Mmm, good morning to you to." He said when they broke away and then his stomach growled.

"I think that that's was our queue to go and see if breakfast is ready." Hermione laughed.

Mr. Weasley was the only one in the kitchen when they got in; he was seated at the table reading The Daly Prophet.

"Morning dad, anything new in there?" Ron asked.

"Well there has been some more attacks from snatchers but nothing to serious, no deaths anyway."

"What are the snatchers?" Hermione asked.

"The snatchers are followers of You Know Who that has not earned the title of Death Eater and the dark mark, like Greyback the werewolf for example." Arthur said. Well it wasn't he who had walked in on them; if he had he surely would have said anything by now.

"Morning dears, you're both up early this morning." Mrs. Weasley walked through the door. "I was just about to start breakfast."

"Want some help Mrs. Weasley?"

"Oh that would be lovely dear. Maybe you could start on the scrambled eggs, Ron you can do the bacon."

"Aw look what you have done now Mione, now I have to help." Ron groaned and went to pick up one of the frying pans.

"You know Ron; it wouldn't hurt your mother if you learned how to cook and helped her in the kitchen." Hermione said. It wasn't Mrs. Weasley either, they would have noticed.

"Oh he can cook Hermione; he's just too lazy to do it." Ginny said as she walked inside.

"Ron can cook?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ginny as she started to boil up some eggs

"Hey! Stop talking like I'm not in the room." Ron said turning the bacon over.

"Mum taught us all when we were little and surprisingly after mum, Ron is the best cook of us."

"I'm still here."

"Well now that you say it, I can actually see him cooking. I mean he likes food so much so it just seems right that he can cook it."She knew that Ron was started to get really irritated now and Hermione almost couldn't suppress her laugh.

"If I promise that I will make more bacon mum, can I please throw this slice at the giggling, ten years old girls over there." Ron took some bacon on the spade and aimed for Ginny.

"Ah don't you dare Ron!" she squealed.

"Shh Ginny be quiet, we don't want to wake up Mrs. Black. And Ron put that down this instant."

"Sorry mum." Both of them said but when Mrs. Weasley had turned her back the siblings stuck their tongue out at each other.

"Now kids, if you keep that up none of you will be going to get Harry with me today." Mr. Weasley said over the newspaper.

"Harry's coming today?" Ginny asked and smiled brightly at her father.

"Yes, I told you that we could get him after a week and that is today." Mr. Weasley said smiling back to his daughter. Harry would finally be here with them where he belonged and would not have to deal with his horrible relatives. But the smile on Mr. Weasley faded as did everyone else's, when he added. "That is of course if he wants to come here, with Sirius and all." It grew quiet as everyone mourned over Sirius death. It was Ron who broke it.

"So how will we get there dad?"

"Well we don't want to have the same disaster we had with the floo like we had two years ago." Hermione had been told what happened. That the Dursley's didn't have a fireplace so Mr. Weasley had to blow them self out of the element that they had got stuck in to and it all had gotten just worse after that. "So Remus will come over later and we'll side along apparate with you there to get him after lunch."

"Good morning everyone, it smells lovely in here Molly" Hermione dad said as he and her mum walked in the kitchen.

"Oh thank you but it was mostly the kids this morning actually."

"Oh it looks lovely dears." Monica said as she took a seat.

"So what are we talking about this morning?"

"We're getting Harry today." Mr. Weasley said. "I wonder if it's ok if we borrowed Hermione this afternoon to get him. I can assure you that it's quite safe; Harry has the strongest protection on his relative's house after all."

"Well I guess that's all right then. But why do you want to get Harry away if the house he is living in is the safest?" Henry asked.

"Well the relatives that he is living with aren't that nice you see and we believe that being with family and friends are better for him, especially now that his godfather died."

"Oh no, poor Harry. Yes being here with you is probably for the best." Her mum said.

"Well before you kids go to get him you still have a couple of hours to finish some more cleaning. So after you've eaten get to it as fast as you can." Mrs Weasley said and started to wash the dishes.

It was after noon when Remus arrived and now Hermione, Ron and Ginny stood in the hallway waiting for him and Mr. Weasley

"Oh what is taking so long, I want to get going." Ron said anxiously. "The faster we get there the faster we can convince him to comeback with us."

"Yes, I too think it will be quite hard to convince him to come here." Hermione said. Finally Mr. Weasley and Remus came out from the kitchen.

"Ready to go guys?" Remus asked his scarred face smiling at them.

"More than ready." They all answered.

"Good, Ron and Hermione will go with me and Ginny you go with your dad, so you two just grab one of my hands and we will go."

"But can we apparate from here?" Hermione asked.

"Yes Dumbledore has given us permission to apparate from here and back." Mr. Weasley said as Ginny grabbed his hand.

"Well get ready now, take a deep breath."

Then Hermione felt herself leave the ground, all the air disappeared as they get sucked up by a tube of darkness.

Hermione felt the air return to her lungs. When they landed in the back yard of Privet Drive, she almost lost her balance. Hermione had read all about apparition but this was her first time experience it, and she definitely felt the nausea that many had experience before her.

"Ah, first time apparating Hermione? Don't worry; the nausea will go over soon." Mr. Weasley said as Ron walked over to her and put a hand on her back.

"Are you all right? I'm sorry I didn't warn you how it would be, forgot that it was your first time." He rubbed her back to help ne nausea get down.

"It's all right, I have read all about it so I thought I was ready but it was something else to actually experience it. Anyway it's better now, thank you." She looked up at him and forgot for a moment that they shouldn't show romantic affection against each other in public and started to lean in to kiss him. Both of them blushed and broke their gaze away and took a step back when Ginny cleared her throat before Mr. Weasley and Remus saw them.

"Hm... well if it makes you feel any better, Ginny threw up the first time dad took us." Ron said and put a mischievous facial expression.

"Yes that did make me feel better." Hermione said, smiling over to Ginny as they walked around the house to get to the front door.

"Hey, we agreed that we would never talk 'bout that again." She said and laughed as she hit her brother on his arm.

"Oh Gin! When we get back I'm gonna tell mum that you hit me." Ginny just hit him again. Ron tried to tickle her but she got away and hit him again.

"Ok you two knock it off." Mr. Weasley said as they got to the front door. When he rang the doorbell a hard angry voice came thru it.

"Who the hell can that be on a Sunday?" They heard some heavy steps approach the door before it opened.

"What the hell do...?" Hermione had never met Mr. Dursley, just heard Harry's stories and seen him from a distance on the platform, so she knew he was fat. But now when he was near her the man looked like a mountain with a blond moustache and hair. When Mr. Dursley saw who were standing on his doorsteps, his face first turned white and then it got the darkest shade of red Hermione had ever seen on a human. "YOU'LL GET AWAY FROM MY PROPETY NOW!" he roared.

"Now Mr. Dursley, think of the neighbours." Remus said in a mocking tone.

"DON'T TELL ME..." he started to shout back but then caught himself and started to whisper instead. "Don't tell me what to do. And get the hell away from my house."

"Sorry but we can't do that just yet. You see, we need to talk to Harry and if you won't let us in, I will go over to one of your neighbours and do a little trick for them." Remus said and took his wand out.

"All right all right, stop waving that around and get in here quickly." He said and stepped out of the way, well as much as he could.

"Harry!" both Hermione and Ginny squealed when they had pressed themselves past Mr. Dursley. He was standing at the top of the stairs. He looked thinner and like he had never smiled in his life.

"Hey mate." Ron said and smiled at him. As did his father.

"Hey Harry, can we go in to the living room and talk to you for a bit?" Harry just shrugged and came down the stairs, passed them and in to the room. "Ok good, well if you just wait upstairs, we will be done soon." Remus said to the chocked Dursley's who were now standing together at the end of the hallway, and then followed Harry.

Harry was seated on the sofa when they got in and Ginny went to sit beside him. Mr. Weasley took the chair and the rest remained standing.

"Harry we want you to come and spend the rest of the summer with us."

"You want me to come with you and live at his place, for the rest of the summer?" he asked way too calmly,

"Yes, as you know the Burrow burned down and we are very grateful that you have let us stay at Grimmauld Place Harry. And don't you want to spend the time with your family instead of here?"

"My family are dead, all of them, in fact the last one died a little over a month ago and you are asking me to go and live in his house." He was starting to get angrier now. Hermione didn't think it was a good idea to mention the name of Grimmauld Place right now.

"Yes we think it will help you being with us rather being here on your own. We're sorry that it has to be in his house, and trust me; I don't like being there either. But that's the only place we have right now" Remus said looking sympathy at Harry, another mistake.

"WELL YOU AT LEAST GOT TO KNOW HIM MORE THAT TWO YEARS! AND SURE, HE WAS YOUR FRIEND, BUT HE WAS MY GODFATHER! THE ONLY THING I HAD LEFT AND NOW HE'S GONE!" Harry shot up from the sofa and ran out from the room.

"Well that went smoothly." Ron said. "And may I add that you both did this totally wrong."

"Can we please try on our own professor? I think we can make him come around." Hermione said

"Yeah go ahead."

Hermione, Ron and Ginny went up to Harry's room. It was closed so Hermione knocked before she said. "Harry please let us in." It took some time but after a while they heard the door unlock and they all went inside. His room was kind of messy with clothes and books everywhere. Otherwise the room only had a bed, desk and a bed table with a picture with his parents.

"We've been owling you but you haven't answered." Hermione saw the pile with their unopened letters on the desk but she decided to ask him about it anyway.

"Yeah wasn't up for it." Hermione just nodded at him as she took a seat on the bed beside him.

"Come on now mate, you can't continue living like this." Ron said and bed down in front of him.

"Stop it, all of you! None of you can understand how it feels..."

"You're right Harry we don't know how it feels, and I hope none of us ever get to know either. But even if we can't understand, all of us want to be there for you the best we can." Ginny cut in.

"Yeah well I don't want your sympathy."

"And we are not going to give it to you. We just want to help you, not to get over his death but to live with it. And I think going back to his house is a good start." Hermione said but Harry was avoiding her eyes. "Harry, can you please look at me?" When he did Hermione said. "I almost lost my parents a week ago so I can almost set myself in your situation. I said almost." She added and put up a finger when she saw Harry open his moth to object. "And I would act exactly like you if I had to go and live in our house again after such a short time." She put up a finger at Ron now. "But after a few weeks I think the house with all of my friends in it..." she took a quick glance at Ron. "...would slowly start to heal me." She saw that he was coming around now. "Can you please just give it a try? If you don't feel any better for about, shall we say three weeks? You can come back and live here for the last three weeks of the summer." She saw that he still wasn't totally convinced.

"We're all your friends and family mate. You know that if we thought that this would just harm you more we wouldn't do this." Ron said and then closed his eyes as his ears grew red. "Ok if anyone of you tells anybody else that I said this, I will kill you." Ron opened his eyes again. "We are your family, we will be there for you 'cause we...uh love you and stuff, and I sound like such a girl saying this." Both Hermione and Ginny laughed hard at him and even Harry's lips formed a smile. God Ron was so loyal; he would do absolutely anything for everyone he cared about. The boy she had gotten to know was growing up to a smart, funny, handsome man with broad shoulders and jaw, cute freckles and flaming hair... and she was lost in his looks again... snap out of it Hermione.

"All right, you got me for three weeks and if it's not any better I'll go back here" Harry said.

"Oh thank you Harry. If you Ron help him pack so will Ginny and I tell Mr. Weasley and professor Lupin." Hermione said as she got up from the bed. Then both she and Ginny hugged Harry before they left the room.

**AN: Well I wanted to make up for the delay between chapter 6 and 7 so it's pretty late in the nigh now when I finished this. But would do it again for you guys!**

**Sorry for the mistakes and stuff.**

**More reviews please! =) **


	9. The Fight

**AN: Sorry for the delay again, I got some new ideas for this chapter and almost wrote the whole thing over. Enjoy! =) **

Chapter 9: The Fight

When they got back Harry had had a quick hug from Ron's mother and then ran straight up to the room Ron and he shared. Ron couldn't blame him for not wanting to see anyone right now; it was probably for the best that he spent the first day taking it all in. And if Harry wouldn't come out, then maybe Ron could convince Hermione to sneak up the attic for some alone time. Ron went in to the kitchen where Hermione had gone and noticed Mr and Mrs. Granger at the table. And when he got in Mrs. Granger gave him a funny look and an asked.

"Hermione, Ron can I speak with you for a minute?" Ron and Hermione just looked at each other as Mrs. Granger got up from her chair and walked over to the door.

"Eh, sure." Ron said, he and Hermione followed her up to Mr and Mrs. Grangers room.

"I woke up early this morning."Mrs Granger said as she closed the door to the bedroom after Ron and Hermione got inside.

"_Oh no!" Ron thought._

"And I decided to go and check up on Hermione." She said smiling smugly at them as she walked around them.

"_Oh crap!"_

"But she wasn't in her bed so I thought she had woken up and gone to read a book somewhere like she did when she was little when she woke up before her father and I."

"_It was her that saw them this morning, I am so screwed!" _

"And I find her in the drawing room, sleeping. But when I got a little closer I saw that she wasn't alone. A tall boy with red short hair and no shirt on where also sleeping on the same sofa, under Hermione." Mrs. Granger sat down on the bed. "Anyone care to explain how long this has been going on?"

Ron guessed that he had the world's reddest face right now. He looked over at Hermione for some answers but her eyes were on her feet, so he decided to try to explain as they had agreed to earlier that morning. "Well Mrs. Granger you see... eh... well we were just...eh." Problem was that he didn't remember what they were gonna say.

"Oh there is no idea Ron, she has already figured it out." Hermione said folding her arms.

"What exactly have I figured out Hermione?" Mrs Granger asked even though her face told them that she knew exactly what was going on.

"Mum! Stop embarrassing me!"

"Oh please Hermione, I just want to hear you say it!" Mrs Granger said smiling up at her blushing daughter.

Hermione looked at Ron; her eyes were asking permission to say what her mother asked for. He smiled and took her hand and squeezed in answer. She smiled back and said to her mother"Ok. Mum, Ron and I are a together."

"Oh Hermione, finally!" Mrs. Granger squealed and bounced up from the bed ant hugged her daughter tightly.

"Mum! Stop it!

"Sorry." She said and let go. "It's just that I am so happy for you, you fancied him for so long..."

"Ok mum stop right there." Hermione said as her whole face turned red looking back at Ron, who smiled smugly back at her. "_She's gonna hear 'bout this later."_ he thought before Mrs. Granger came and hugged him.

"Oh Ron welcome to the family."

"Mum! It's not like we've gotten married."

"I know, I'm just so happy for you guys. I have always thought you were perfect for each other. He's much better than that Bulgarian guy you went to that ball with, Vincent or whatever his name was." Ron growled at the mention of the Yule Ball.

"Viktor mum and you know that we were only friends." Hermione said and squeezed Ron's hand that she still held.

"Yes I know dear and I'm glad it didn't become more than that because when I heard you talk about Ron I always saw a sparkle in your eyes that I don't see when you talked about for example Harry or any other boy. And all the disagreements you had I knew that you both were perfect for each other." She beamed at them.

"Wait, you were never together with Vicky?" Ron asked and turned to his girlfriend.

"Viktor and no Ron, I've told you that a thousand of times last year. I only went to the ball with him because he asked me. It was like you said it's embarrassing for a girl to go alone so I said yes to the first one who asked. Even though I wanted a particular person to ask I knew that he probably wouldn't." Hermione said and took her hand and turned around away from him.

"Really? Who was this particular person then?" Ron said smiling smugly. Even though he couldn't see her he knew that she was fighting a smile of her own.

"Well I give you a hint, he's tall, had short ginger hair and freckles."

"Oh, I always knew you had a thing for Percy. He's almost as smart as you and have a thin for doing his homework before it's even handed out" He said and chuckled. At this Hermione swished around and hit him on his arm hard. "Ow Mione!"

"You deserved it you prat!"

"Well in my defence, I wanted to go with you too. And I tried to ask but I didn't know how ok?"

"You asked Fleur Delacour just fine. Sure, you shouted it across the hall and ten ran away, but you could've used the same words towards me." She said sounding a little less angry and more annoyed.

"I only asked her because she accidently hit me with her veela powers instead of Roger Davis. And I tried to ask you but you turned me down and said you already had a date."

"You call that asking Ronald? Saying "Hey Hermione you're a girl why don't you go with Harry or me?" and "It's ok for a boy to go alone but for a girl it's just sad." You didn't even ask to go with you, you added Harry in too it to."

"Ok I admit that that was really lame, ok pretty disastrous." Ron added after a look from Hermione. "But I didn't think you would have said yes if I asked you as more than a friend. And I added Harry cause I thought maybe you rather be showed on his arm cause he's rich and famous and I'm not." He said and looked down on his shoes.

"Oh Ron, you know that I don't care of any of that. I would go with you to all the balls even if you wore those horrid robes every time" Hermione smiled put a hand on his cheek.

"Well I know that now, and yes those were the most horrid piece of clothing I've ever seen." He said and smiled. "But when I saw you coming with Krum I thought that hats why you didn't go with Harry, you already had a rich and famous guy. I'm sorry I started that fight, it was just because I had realised that I would never have a chance with you and I had to take out my anger and sadness at something, or the case someone." Ron had never opened up about his insecurity like this to anyone before and he had to say it felt quite good.

"Oh Ron." Hermione said as she took the few steps to get over to him and hug him. "I would have said yes if you had asked me to go with you as more than a friend. I only went with Viktor because I didn't want to go alone and he was the first to ask me and was a nice guy. But after he asked me I immediately told him that I only wanted to go as friends because I already like someone else and he was a little sad at first but said he was fine with that."

"Really?" Ron said and backed up a little from their hug

"Yes, and when I saw you just sitting there at the table all night I just wanted to go and ask you to dance with me. You weren't too nice to Padma that night you know."

"No I guess I wasn't. I was too occupied with watching you, looking as beautiful as I ever seen you, dancing with a famous Quidditch star and being pissed at myself for not having the courage at all to ask you to the ball." He said and smiled at her.

"Thank you. Anyway, I wanted to dance with you and I mentioned this to Viktor. So when we got to you I just needed a break, but when the words were on the tip of my tongue we started fighting about fraternizing with the enemy, that you had asked me as last resort and you know the rest."

"So everything was just a whole misunderstanding from both of us?" Ron smiled and shook his head.

"Yes I guess it was." Hermione said and smiled back at him.

"I'm so sorry for the whole thing Mione. For the asking, the actual ball and yeah everything."

"I'm really sorry too Ron." They accepted each other's apologies by kiss.

"Oh look at both of you!" Ron jumped away from Hermione. He had totally forgot that Mrs Granger were still in the room with them. When he looked at her she had tears in her eyes but smiled anyway. "I think that was very important that you got that off your chest and I'm very happy for you. But can I ask you something?" she said.

"Of course." Hermione said as Ron said

"Sure."

"Why haven't you told anyone?"

"Because of Harry, he's not ready to deal with our... relationship yet." At the word, relationship, Hermione grew a little redder. "So you can't tell anyone right now mum, not even dad can know."

"I'll understand, I promise I won't tell him or anyone else."

"Thank you mum." Ron thought he saw Hermione let a sigh out.

"Does anyone else know about you two? Or am I the first one?" she then asked.

"No Ginny knows to, and she also promised to not tell anyone."

"Ok good. Now I understand that is must be hard to find some alone time in this house, with all the cores Molly asks you to do and so many people around."

"MUM!"

"Calm down Hermione, I'm just trying to help. Now as I'm sure Ginny is already off to clean something and Arthur is off to work, I will distract Molly and your father for shall we say an hour. Have a nice time you two, and use protection if it comes to that." She said as she opened the door and smiled and blinked at them, knowing she embarrassed them both terribly.

"MUUUUM!"

"I'm just saying that I'm still too young to be a grandmother." She sang quietly so just they could hear before she shut the door after her.

When they were alone Ron saw Hermione put her head in her hands to cover her embarrass face. Ron too was embarrassed but found the whole situation more than funny. And he was planning make the most of the little time they had, so he walked up behind Hermione and put his arms around her.

"Well that was fun." He said as he took her hands off her face.

"Fun? That was then most embarrassing moment of my life!" she put her hands on top of his and put them on her stomach.

"Oh I don't know 'bout that. What 'bout when you picked up the wrong hair from Eloise Midgen's cote when we did the polyjuice potion and turned in to a cat." Ron laughed at the memory.

"Oh shut up you." Hermione said but Ron knew she was smiling.

"Or when Malfoy cursed your teeth. And when you tried to fly on a broom for the first time. That was embarrassing."

"Okay I get your point." She turned around in his arms. "Now shut up and kiss you embarrassed girlfriend so she will feel better."

"Ah, with pleasure." Ron bent down to capture her lips passionately. After a moment or two of innocent kissing, Ron started to suck and lick her bottom lip, asking for access to her mouth. She opened and moaned when their tongues met. Ron stroked her back and she had her hands on his chest. Suddenly she started to press him backwards towards the bed, which he sat on when it hit his knees, and climbed in to his lap not once letting their lips get some air between them.

Ron moaned when he felt her hands slip under his shirt, stroking his chest. It started to slip up so he decided it had to go. When it was off Hermione left his lips to wander to his neck. He moaned again when she sucked the point between his neck and shoulders. He had now slipped his hands under her tank top, slowly wandering from her flat stomach around and up her back. He did this several times before he gently touched the bottom of her bra covered breasts.

A moan escaped her lips when he covered them fully and gently squeezed them. One more came when he pinched her nipples.

"Ron, wait."

But Ron was too far gone at the sensational of her fantastic breasts to hear her.

"Ron, stop."

Like a bolt of lightning had gone through him he took his hands away.

"Sorry. I got carried away, I'm really sorry." He rambled on but got silenced with a kiss from her.

"Stop saying you're sorry every time I stop us. You're not doing anything wrong; it's just that this is my parent's bed and..." Hermione blushed at her next words. "...I had to stop us before both of us got too carried away and do some things that are not appropriate in the parent's bed."

Ron looked stunned at her beautiful flushed face and then started to smile smugly and thereafter, speak to her in a low voice.

"Really? And what things would that had been if we had been somewhere else?" Hermione blushed even more. "Please tell me."

"Well...maybe... some more touching on... on you and... and maybe some more... more clothes would... slip of me." She may have blushed and stutter a bit but she did not take away her eyes from his as she said this. In those beautiful chocolate brown eyes he saw love and passion go through. She really loved him, him, old and simple Ron Weasley who didn't have anything. He had no idea what she saw in him, the only thing he knew that he felt exactly the same.

"I love you."

"I love you to" They were kissing again but his time it wasn't for passion, it was for love.

"Ok, we really have to stop now because our hour's nearly up and I think your mum won't be able to hold mine away for much longer." Ron said smiling kind of drowsy. Hermione looked exactly the same but she shook her head, got off his lap and said in her greatest know-it-all voice.

"Yes, we should find her before she finds us. I go first and then you come after me in about five minutes." Ron nodded and watched her walk towards the door and opened it. But before she closed it she turned around and mouthed "I love you" one last time.

Ron lay down on the bed with his feet still on the floor to wait. Wow, she really wanted to take things a little bit further. He couldn't wait for the next time they were alone, and he would make sure of it wouldn't be anywhere near someone's parent's bed or something else.

He now felt grateful for the Weasley men's special book. He remembered how embarrassed he felt when Fred and George passed it on to him when he turned fourteen. Said that Bill had gotten it from their father and so it had passed on through. He had said that Fred and George were nuts because he still thought girls were nuts, but he had still taken it and actually read through it 'cause something had started to feel differently when he saw a which bushy haired know-it-all. And he had often thought about her for some reason when he read which had caused many cold or sometimes hot and long, showers.

Ron understood that it probably would take some time before they actually had sex. And he would never pressure Hermione to do something she wasn't comfortable with. She would tell him when she was ready and they would go from there. But he was still glad to have read the book because it said much about how to please a woman and make her relax. And he really wanted to practise on that, to make it as good as possible for her. He hoped she would let him.

Oh, time to go.

But it didn't look like the alone time would come soon.

It was two and a half weeks after they got Harry from the Dursley's and getting him out of bed had been really hard, if he didn't get better soon he would go back to his awful relatives. Ron, Hermione and Ginny had all tried to talk to him, the girls he had just ignored but yesterday, when Ron tried, Harry got angry and started to throw things at him. Ron still had a mark from a watch which hit him in the head. His mother had asked what had happened and when he told her, she marched right past him and after like ten minutes she came back with Harry on her tail.

It was now the morning after and Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry sat in the living room. Ron sat in the sofa and was crushing Ginny in chess; Hermione sat beside him reading a book and Harry had crawled in to a ball in a chair across from them.

"Oh Ginevra, your making this too easy, checkmate again." Ron said as he cornered her king.

"Don't call me Ginevra you prat. And how is it that you can beat me third time in a row, I'm usually good at his against my own classmates."

"That doesn't mean that you're good, it's just that you classmates suck at chess." Ron said and smiled at her. This resulted in Ginny sticking out her tongue at him.

"Oh that was really mature..." A flash of the woman getting tortured ran before his eyes, it was over as fast as it came but Ron knew that it would be more until the whole vision had ran trough. It didn't hurt anymore but he still got a little stunned when they came, about once a week now.

"Are you ok Ron?" Ginny asked concerned.

Ron looked up from rubbing his forehead. Both Ginny and Hermione looked over at him with worry writhen over their face.

"Yeah sure, I just have a little headache. I think that I've been thinking too much, don't worry." Ron said and smiled at them both but when he locked eyes with Hermione he knew that she didn't believe him.

"Guys, four owls are on their way here. I think it's your Hogwarts letters." Mrs. Weasley said as he stuck in her head trough the door. This made Hermione drop her book and shoot up from the sofa.

"What? Isn't it a little early for the letters? I thought it would even take longer with our O. results."

"Oh no dear, they prior the O. result and send those letters first, and I think they send yours out to Ginny when they were on their way." Mrs. Weasley said as she opened a window for the owls. Hermione looked like she would break down at any moment.

"Oh my God I'm gonna fail everything. I was unsure if I got all the runes right in question fifteen in Transfiguration, and I know that I was wrong at number thirty-seven in Aritmancy." Ron got up from the sofa and grabbed her shoulders to stop her from pacing.

"Hermione calm down, we already know that you will get twelve owls and they all will probably be O's..."

"No they will not Ron, I will fail everything..."

"No you won't Mione." Ron locked his eyes with hers "And we will still love you if you do." He made sure to use the word, we, so it would sound friendly but he knew that Hermione understood that it meant more.

"Yes, you're probably right; I may not have failed everything." Hermione said as she took some calming breaths. Ron let go of her when her parent's walked in.

"What's all this commotion?" Mr Granger asked.

"Rons', Harrys' and Hermiones' O. results are on their way." Mrs. Weasley told them.

"Oh yes Hermione told us about those tests, are the results on their way now?" Mrs Granger asked.

"Yes in fact, here they are." Four owls flew through the window. Mrs. Weasley untied all the letters from their legs and they were out of the window again. "Let's see, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry." They all got their letters; Ron looked at Hermione who were just staring at hers.

"You want me to open that for you?"He asked her. First she nodded and reached over to give him the letter, but then she shook her head and took it back. But then she changed her mind again, and again, and again. Eventually Ron reached over and grabbed the letter from her hands. He tore it open and took it out. "Want me to read it?" Hermione just nodded and put her hands over her face. "Dear Hermione Granger. Here is the information about the new year at..."

"Ok skip that part." Hermione mumbled behind her hands

"We are glad to inform you that you've made Gryffindors' Prefect once again..."

"Skip that to!"

"Here are the new book list and the other ne..."

"Ron, skip it to the end!"

"Yours Professor McGonagall..."

"RON!"

"Ok ok. Your Ordinary Wizard Level results." Ron read trough the results and then said. "Hermione remember, we're still gonna love you." Hermione grabbed the letter from his hands, scanned trough it and then looked up at him with a shocked face. "Even if you got all twelve owls' and get top marks in everything." Ron said and smiled brightly at her.

"Oh I hate you Ronald Weasley." Hermione started to hit him but was smiling none the less. Ron just scooped her up in a big hug.

"Congratulation Hermione, I don't think anyone has gotten those good grades since Dumbledore." Mrs Weasley said and smiled at her.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley." Then both Mr. and Mrs Granger came and hugged their daughter and congratulated her.

"Ron way don't you go next." His mother said.

Ron opened his letter and skipped it all to the results.

**Your Ordinary Wizard Level results. **

**Results for passed tests: Results for failed tests **

**Outstanding (O) Poor (P)**

**Exceeded Expectation (E) Dreadful (D)**

**Acceptable (A) Troll (T)**

**Ron Weasley have been given**

**Astronomy: E**

**Care of Magical Creatures: E **

**Charms: O**

**Defence Against the Dark Arts: O**

**Divination: A**

**Herbology: E**

**History of Magic: A**

**Potions: O**

**Transfiguration: O**

"What? This can't be right." He said and scratched his head.

"What?" his mother, Hermione and Ginny asked.

"I... I got nine out of nine." Hermione rushed towards him and threw herself at him so he nearly fell over, and hugged him so tightly he almost choked.

"Oh Ronnie, I'm so proud of you. You got many more than Fred and George got together. How did you do?"

"I got two A, Divination and History of Magic, three E, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology, and four O, Charms, DADA, Potions and Transfiguration."

"Oh that's just wonderful, wait until your father hears about his when he comes home. Harry your turn."

Everyone watched Harry opening his letter, read through it, toss it on the floor and go back to being a ball.

"Oh come on mate, don't be like that." Ron said and picked up the letter. "Eight out of nine is great Harry. One P, one A, five E and two O is awesome. And that you failed History of Magic is pretty obvious why you did"

"Shut up Ron." Harry snapped at him just as Hermione was about to hug him.

"Harry..."

"No shut up Ron. Don't pretend that this little thing makes you better than me."

"I wasn't trying to..." Ron said shocked.

"No shut up! Sure, you got a little moment now but we both know that I am better than you. I'm better then you at Quidditch, in school, I got more money and I'm famous, everyone thinks I'm gonna be the one to defeat Voldemort and you know why? Because I am better than you, in everything." Harry now sat up and was so angry that his face was red. Everyone was so stunned that they just stood there, gaping at Harry. Ron didn't know what to say, what to feel: Anger? Acceptance? Sorrow? He knew that everything he said was true. But why did he have to rub it in his face.

Then he saw it again, Harry clenching his fist. Ron then understood, this was Harry's way of coping with Sirius death, he needed this. And Ron would give it to him; he just hoped it wouldn't hurt too much.

He dropped his letter accidently and something clinked.

"Oh and it look like you got prefect again too. I don't know why Dumbledore gave it to you again, cause he just gave that to you so it wouldn't look like I was his favourite student; yes I'm his favourite student, he said so himself. He just gave it to you because you where the least expected to get it!"Harry said standing up. "And you are the least talented Weasley sibling in the family, Bill got the looks and brain, Charlie the skill in Quidditch and his working with dragons, Percy the brains, Fred and George are fun, you got nothing and Ginny got everything of that!" All was quiet until...

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT MY SON LIKE THAT HARRY POTTER!" Mrs. Weasley roared.

"FILTHY SCUM! MUDBLOODS, BLOODTRAITORS WHO'S FILLING MY FOREFATHERS HALL'S!" Mrs. Black shouted from the hall.

Ron saw Harry ran out of the room. He turned to Hermione who he saw was staring at him with tears in her eyes.

"Don't listen to him, Ron. Don't you dare listen to him!" she said as she put her hands on his chest

"Don't worry Hermione, don't worry." He said and hugged her and then grabbed her shoulders gently. "I'm gonna talk to him and I think we will have the old Harry back when we are done. Whatever you hear, don't come up." He let go of her and walked towards the door.

"What are you going to say to him?" Hermione asked as he was on his way around the corner. He turned around and said so everyone heard.

"Don't come up." He then walked up the stairs and towards his and Harry's room. It was locked.

"Harry let me in or I will break this door down."

It opened. "Oh look, the leased talented in the Weasley family." Harry said as Ron entered and closed the door behind him.

"Yeah make fun of me and my family Harry, but at least I have one. You are totally alone, the last one just died a couple of weeks ago, and you are totally alone now."

"SHUT UP YOU BASTARD!"

"I wonder why everyone in your family died, was everyone so depressed they all killed themselves."

"GO TO HELL!"

"You must really disappoint them right now, not getting prefect, lousy grades..." Harry had now turned around shaking. Ron knew he would brake soon so he braced himself.

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP, YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

"OH AND ONE MORE THING! Me and Hermione have been together for seven weeks now." Ron tried to ignore the pain in his jaw when Harrys hit him, he tasted blood. When he starting himself up again he said "We got together in the hospital wing, all those weeks without you knowing." The other punch hit him on his nose, it didn't break but he started to bleed really much.

"HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO HER, TAKE ADVANEGDE OF HER. I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T SAY THAT YOU WILL STOP FUCKING HER RIGHT NOW YOU PERV!"

Ron just looked up at him and smiled. Several punches in his stomach, chest and then his face again and he didn't even try to stop him. Even if Harry were thin he was pretty strong and got some good hits here and there.

When Ron started to feel a little dizzy he decided it was time to stop him. He pushed him back and then assembled all the strength he had in his right arm and punched Harry straight over his jaw and face so he flew back on the floor.

Ron too collapsed beside him; they both lay there on their backs breathing hardly. Suddenly he heard a sniff come from Harry and when he looked over at him he saw that he was crying.

"He's gobne!" she sniffed. "He's really gobne." Ron stretched his hand out, grabbed Harry's and said

"I'm really sorry mate." He didn't say anything more; he just let him cry as long as he needed.

"I'm so sobby for what I said Ron, I didn't meabn a thibng. I just said thus thibngs to make you feel as misebable as me."

"I know Harry, I'm sorry to for what I said. You know that you're not alone, you got me and Hermione, all of the Weasley's, Lupin, Tonks and Mad-Eye, I think" Ron said and both of them chuckled. Then they clapped each other on their shoulder and both of them knew that they were friends again.

"You'be the best fbiebn a guy cabn have, I feel a lot better, thabnk you."

"Always here for you mate, now let us get up from here and get ourselves fixed up." Ron tried to get up didn't get weary far before "Ok ow, I think you have broken some of my ribs, you got some good hits."

"Yeah but you, you knocked me down from one pudnch, broke my jaw and dnose at the same time." Harry said as he got up and reached out his hand to help Ron up.

"Yeah big hands." Ron just answered.

"So you ade deally with Hedmiodne dnow?"

"Yeah and we are not having sex. You know that I respect her to much for that and... I love her, Harry, I really do. I'm sorry we didn't tell you but we were afraid of, well this." He said and pointed at his face. "It was just now that I realised that you, well, needed to get a little angry."

"It's ok I guess, would pdobably had deacted wodse if you told me a couple of weeks ago. Does adnyodne else kdnow?"

"Yeah Ginny and Hermiones mum but we didn't tell them, they figured it out themselves. We got them too keep it quiet cause we wanted to tell you first."

"Does Hedmiodne kdnow that you told me?"

"No and compare to you, I'm more scared of her."

"I thidnk I will get the most wdath fdom hed though, I idnsulted hed boyfdiednd pdetty bad. Adnd I have to apologise to youd mothed to adnd evedy odne else in that doom."

"It's best to just get it over with." Harry took Rons arm and flung it over his shoulders to support some off his weight and together they walked down to their family.

**AN: There it is. I really enjoyed writhing this, one of my favourite chapters for sure. **

**I'm sorry for the mistakes and I will get a Beta-reader, just haven't found the right one yet. But some mistakes when Ron talks are on purpose, you know how Hermione always scold him for them so don't be surprised if you discover some there.**

**Thanks for all reviews and keep them coming! =) **


	10. Apologies and a birthday

**AN: This chapter comes with a little warning for sensitive readers. But don't worry, you will see it. Enjoy! **

Chapter 10: Apologies and a birthday.

Hermione and Ginny sat at the bottom off the stairs nervously waiting for the boys. There had been some duns' up there; Hermione just hoped both boy were ok. She didn't know why she had agreed to wait for Ron to handle it. Normally she would have rushed up there without a second thought; maybe it was the look in Ron's eyes that told her that they had to solve this on their own, that it was a guy thing. "_Arrrg what was taking them so long?"_ After twenty minutes Hermione were just about to break her promise and go to see what was going on when a door opened and two pair of feet where slowly making their way down the stairs above them. Both Hermione and Ginny got up from their seats and turned around to great them with questions, but those where stuck in their troth when they saw the boys.

"RON!" she shouted a started to run up the stairs towards him. Ron had a black eye; his nose where bleeding and so was his lip. "What have you done to him Harry?" she demanded when she and Ginny reached them.

"Oh don't worry Mione..."

"My Ronnie!" Mrs Weasley came out from the drawing room. "Oh what have you done to each other? Why do boys always have to solve things with violence? Come on, down to the kitchen with you now so that I can fix you up."

Hermione went and pushed Harry away from Ron and put his arm around her shoulders to give support as they walked down the stairs with Harry and Ginny behind them.

Hermione didn't care if her helping Ron looked suspicious, she was so angry at Harry that she didn't care if he found out about them. She couldn't believe what he had said about the Weasley's, the family who had welcomed him and herself with opened arms when they had first come in to the wizarding world. And all the things he had said to Ron, well that just made her blood boil and a lust to punch him just like she punched Malfoy in their third year.

When they reached the kitchen Hermione helped Ron over to the nearest chair and gently put him down, and then she dragged another one over and sat down beside him and took his hand in hers while Mrs Weasley examined him.

"Two broken ribs, a black eye and cracked lip, all will be fixed in no time; the bleeding nose will stop shortly on its own." Mrs Weasley fixed his ribs first and then his lip. Then she got up, walked over to one of the cabins and took out a salve. "Here, put this on your eye." When Mrs Weasley had turned around Hermione took the tube out of Ron's hands. _Miss Basset salve for Bruises and Contusions_, it read, she poured some out in her hand and started to rub it on Ron's face.

"Well here it just looks like your jaw and nose is broken, maybe I won't heal your nose because I'm sure that you have some trouble talking, and then you can't insult my family anymore then you already have." Mrs Weasley said in a snappy voice as she examined Harry who was standing behind them. "_Or, you heal him just so I can go and break it again!" _Hermione thought as she scrawled up her face at Harry. "Episkey!" Mrs Weasley said and Harry winched as his face became its normal shape. When he straightened out again he turned to Mrs Weasley and said:

"I'm so sorry Mrs Weasley, for all the things I said. I didn't mean a thing I swear. I guess I just snapped or something." Harry got redder and redder as he kept apologising and ended up finding his shoes weary interesting.

"Apologise accepted Harry, but if you ever say something like that about my sons, or anyone else in my family again Harry, I'm afraid you are not welcomed in our company anymore."

"I understand Mrs Weasley, I'm so sorry." Mrs Weasley hugged him, then clapped him on the cheek and walked out of the kitchen.

When Mrs Weasley had left Hermione saw a movement in the corner of her eye and before anyone could respond Ginny was hitting Harry hard on his shoulder.

"That's for all the crap you said about my family you little piece of dragon shit!"

"Ow Ginny! I said I was sorry and I really am" Harry said trying to protect himself from her wrath. After Ginny had stopped, Harry added "Gosh Gin that really hurt, I just got my jaw and nose back, and I don't want to lose my shoulder to." That just earned him another punch.

"Well I want to know what the hell happened up there!"

"Well to quote it quite literally, I kind of knocked some sense in to Harry." Ron said and smiled up at Ginny.

"It's not funny Ron; you could have hurt yourselves really bad." Hermione said annoyed.

"Oh it wouldn't have gotten that bad." Ron said.

"Yeah, and even if it had I'm sure you would be here and patch your boyfriend up Hermione." Harry said and smiled at her. She gasped.

"Oh thanks mate, way to blow the canon at her."

"Best to get it over with mate." Harry smiled at them both.

Hermione just stared at Ron, her anger towards Harry turned to him. They had agreed to not to tell Harry until the last day of the summer , and they were going to tell him together, and now he had done it without even giving her a heads up that he would.

"Ronald Weasley, I would like to talk to you, in _private_!" Hermione was trying to speak as calmly as she could even tough she wanted nothing more than to scream at him.

"Oh I hate when you call me Ronald, always mean that I'm in trouble."

"Just come on." Hermione hissed and got up with Ron behind her.

"Good luck mate." Harry shouted before the door closed. She heard Ron grumble to himself but she ignored him.

She led the way to hers and Ginny's room, when he closed the door Hermione turned around facing him with her hands on her hips.

"How could you tell him without me? I thought we agreed to tell him on the last night before school!"

"I know, and I'm sorry that I told him without you. I swear that I didn't plan to tell him when I walked up there."

"Tell me exactly what happened when you got there."

"Well when he started to shout at me in the drawing room I understood that this was his way to cope with Sirius death. I guess he wanted to make someone else feel as miserable as him or something." Ron shrugged when he said the last part. "When I got up there to him I he kept going on about me at first but then I started to shout some mean things back at him. He fell quiet but I saw that the breaking point where near and the last straw was when I said that we were together. That's when he started to punch me; I punched him back when I had enough and we forgave each other and now he's back."

Hermione felt some of her anger ebb away but not all of it. "What more did you say to him to make him hit you?" Ron bent his head and seemed to find the floor quiet interesting.

"Well I may have said something about him not having a family, and that everyone he loved kept dying from him."

"Ron how could you!" her annoyance at him raised again.

"Oh come on, you know I didn't mean it, I just said it to get him angry and hit me. I just wanted to get him back to us and I understood that the way to that was for him to lash out on something, or in this case someone." Ron had crossed his arms in front of his chest and the tip of his ears was red.

Hermione stared at him in chock for a moment. Her anger was totally swept away with his words. "You mean that you let him hit you so that he would be ok again? You knew that he wanted, needed, to hit something, or someone, to cope with his feelings. How did you know that?"

"Well I don't know. I just understood when he was going at me in the drawing room downstairs. Maybe it's a guy thing or something."

"And you just let him take his misery out on you?"

"Well I didn't want anyone else to get hurt, sooner or later he would have to break and I rather it was me then somebody else. I just wanted him ba..." Ron didn't get the chance to finish his sentence cause Hermione had rushed over and crushed her lips on his. She hit him with such force that he slammed his back in to the wall; she kissed him more passionately than she ever had done before and he answered her just the same. Both of their hands started to wander, hers started do stroke his chest through his shirt and eventually got under it. Meanwhile, she felt his on her back stroking her up and down on to her bum and squeezed.

"Mm" they both moaned. Suddenly they heard voices outside the door.

"No Harry! They didn't go quiet because of..." the door opened and Harry walked in.

"Hey Ron are you alive? You've gone awfully quiet in here and... Oh!" Harry said and looked away from them.

"I tried to warn you and if you'd listen to me, you wouldn't have to see that." Ginny said as she walked in after Harry.

Hermione turned around in Ron's arms but when he tried to take them away from her she took his hands and placed them on her stomach. "Well you just have to get used to it cause we can finally snuggle whenever we want to." She said and smiled up at Ron.

"Oh no, that's what I feared would happened when you finally told Harry." Ginny said and gave them a grimace.

"How is it that you figured it out that they were together and not me?" Harry asked Ginny. "I'm their best friend."

"Well first, boys are bloody oblivious and wouldn't notice a Flobberworm getting up and start to step dance naked in front of their noses."

"Oi!" both Ron and Harry said.

"Second, they've been flirting with each other at every chance they got ever sense they got out from the hospital wing. And third, and it's completely understandable Harry, but you haven't been the best best friend lately." Ginny said looking sorrowfully at Harry.

At this Harry frowned and turned his eyes to his feet. After a moment of silence he spoke again. "I know I haven't been a good friend of late, and I'm truly sorry for that. All of you got hurt at the Department of Mysteries and I was too caught up in myself to be there for any of you."

"Hey no one blames you mate. We're just glad you're back with us." Ron said and let one hand go of Hermione to give a pat on Harry's shoulder.

"How did your mother find out Hermione, or do I want to know that?" Harry asked and smiled at her.

At this Hermione felt her cheeks heat up as she thought of that night. She looked at Ron to ask him, none verbally, if they should tell them, not about the whole night of course. His ears were red but when he turned to her he just smiled and shrugged.

"Well..." she said and turned back to Harry and Ginny. "She kind of cached us sleeping on the sofa in the drawing room on your and Ron's floor." She said and smiled at them. Ginny's hand had gone to cover her mouth as she started to giggle, but Harry still looked confused.

"But how could she guess that you were a couple from that?"

"Oh Harry you're so thick sometimes." Ginny said which only made her laugh even more. "It's obvious that they were snogging and fallen asleep together, in each other's arms."

"Oh!" Harry said a small pink shade spreading across his cheeks. "What did she do when she saw you?" he then asked.

"Eh... she kind of put a blanket on us. So we didn't know until we woke up that someone had been in there at all. It was only after she asked to speak with us in Hermione's parent's room that we knew it was her." Ron said.

"Aww, it's almost a shame her parent's like you so much Ron, I've always imagine Hermione's parent's kick your sorry little ass when they found out that you where dating their daughter." Ginny said and both she and Harry laughed. "But I guess saving your in-laws may help getting them to like you and accept that you're dating their only daughter." Ginny said after she had calmed down.

"Well, her father doesn't know yet." Ron said nervously and Ginny only smiled as she was imagine her father when he found out about her and Ron.

"Speaking of Ron getting his ass kicked, when will you announce your relationship to your mother Ron? I sure she won't be too happy that your kept this for so long from her." Harry said smiling smugly.

"Oh crap! I never should have told you cause now we have to tell my family, and that includes Fred and George who will bug me with it until school starts again." Ron said and let go of Hermione to put his hands over his face.

"Oh come on Ron it won't be that bad. Let's tell them at dinner tonight and just get it over with." Hermione said and took one hand of his face and hold on to it, and then she reached up on her toes so she could whisper in his ear. "And then we could finally hold hands in front of everyone, snuggle in the sofa during the day and most importantly sneak away for a little alone time without excuses." Hermione kissed his ear and then backed away.

"Ok, we tell them at dinner." Ron said and pecked her on the lips. And then Mrs Weasley called down to tell them it was ready.

It turned out that Ron's mother was so happy for her and Ron that she just waved away that they had kept it a secret for so long. Fred and George had been like Ron predicted, they teased them both until Mrs Weasley though that they had had enough and called them off for it, though Hermione knew they were far from done. She was sure it would continue through the whole summer when their mother weren't near them. Her father had been very happy but after dinner he had asked to speak to Ron alone. Hermione saw all of Ron's colour drain from his face but he swallowed and managed to get a stuttering "O-ok." before he followed her father upstairs.

Hermione grew more nervous for every second that passed by, though she trusted her father not to be so hard on Ron that he would scare him away, she still couldn't help but wonder if Ron would come down and say that her father was too much and he couldn't be with her anymore. But it seemed that her worries where for nought as when her boyfriend and father came down they were laughing and clapping each other's backs like old friends. When Ron sat on the sofa beside her he just put an arm around her shoulders and smiled down at her. She smiled back, she wouldn't pressure him about what her father had said to him; all that mattered was that he was still her boyfriend and that all was good between her father and him.

Now it was two days later, only four days to Harry's birthday. Mrs Weasley would go in to Diagon Ally today to by all the schoolbooks and Harry's presents, Hermione had no idea what to get him. "_Something educational_." She thought." _Harry wanted to be an Auror and for that you needed an A in History of magic in your N.E. ."_ Yes she knew exactly what to get him now, a book that she had longed to read but hadn't bough yet for some reason. It was called _English Witches and Wizards History by Edmund Floyd_, it would help Harry with his Auror dream and she could borrow it after he was done.

She wrote down the book's name and went and handed it to Mrs Weasley before she flooed to The Leaky Cauldron.

Harry's birthday arrived and Mrs Weasley had prepared a big meal for him. All the Weasley's except for Charlie and Percy was there, Remus, Tonks, Knigsley, Mad-Eye, her parent's and Fleur Delacour were also there, Fleur because she and Bill had announced that they were a couple and had been sense she had started at Gringotts bank last year. They hadn't told anyone because they wanted to see that it was serious for both of them. Neither Mrs Weasley nor Ginny were too happy with this and Hermione had to say that she wasn't either, Fleur were really annoying most of the time.

After the dinner Mrs Weasley brought out a big birthday cake that looked just like a golden snitch. Hermione saw that he got really touched by this and she thought she saw him wipe a few tears away when he thought no one was watching.

After cake they all withdrew to the drawing room on the bottom floor for it was time to open presents. From Mr and Mrs Weasley Harry had gotten a book about all the English Quidditch teams' history, from Bill and Fleur a shaving kit from France. "Theez weel make your skin very smooth." Fleur had said and she thought she heard Ron mutter something about "That's why my shaving kits text from Bill where in French." Next Harry opened Charlie's who had sent a dragon tooth necklace, both of her parent's got very interested in this. The twins, who had stayed there for the night instead of their flat above their new joke shop, had given him some of their latest products but Hermione had warned him if she saw him use some of it at Hogwarts, she wouldn't hesitate to confiscate them. Remus, Tonks and Kingsley had all given him a Defence Against the Dark Arts book while Moody had given him a new sneakoscope. Her parents had given him some sugar free candy and Ron the same, though his was all than sugar free. From Ginny he got a new polishing kit for his broomstick and new gloves. He got very happy for his book from her and said that he happily loaned it out to her when he was finished.

When all the presents were opened, the others bid her and everyone else farewell or good night and wished Harry a happy birthday once again. When they had left it was only she, Ron, Harry and Ginny left. Hermione were lain snuggled up to Ron's (who was stroking small invisible circles on her back) side on the sofa, feeling her eyelids getting heavier. Harry and Ginny were crawled up in each chair across from them, talking about nothing in particular.

Hermione woke up suddenly when she heard a gasp coming from Harry. When she looked over at him it looked like he had fainted over the arms of the chair. His whole body was shaking, then he started to roll around and it looked like he was fighting something. Hermione and Ron where up in an instant as he rolled on to the floor.

"What's happening to him?" Ginny shouted as he bent down and tried to wake him.

"He's having a vision; we just have to wait it out Ginny and stop shouting." Ron said as he grabbed Harry and hugged him so that he would hold still and therefore not hurt himself by bumping in to something.

"What do you mean he's having a vision?" Ginny asked in a softer but not less worryingly voice.

"He's sees a bit of what You-Know-Who just like he did when he saw our dad being bitten of that snake this Christmas." Ron answered.

"You mean like he did when he thought Sirius were in trouble?"

"Yes, even though that was a false one."

"He weren't supposed to have this anymore; he's supposed to practise occlumency every day so that he doesn't get any false ones again!" Hermione said annoyed. Harry had stopped struggling and was on his way to wake up. His face had drained with and he was sweating and still a little shaky. "I think you can let him go now Ron."

"Oh right. Are you all right mate?" Ron asked as he let go of Harry.

"I-I was in a dark room with a fire as the only light source, and I-I saw Voldemort, no, I w-was Voldemort." Harry said breathing heavily. "And there was a Death Eater there who had her mask on so I didn't see who it was; all I saw was that she had long blonde hair. Voldemort asked her if she got it, what "it" was they didn't say, but she said that it had been sold a couple of days ago. He asked who had bought it but she just stuttered that she didn't know because one of her companions had blown the shop assistant in the ally they had dragged her to and the whole shop behind her with it. Then they had blown up several other shops and alleys as to not wake suspiciousness on which one they had been in.

**(AN: Here is the warning.)**

Then Voldemort tortured her for a really long time and then asked who had killed the assistant, I didn't hear the name but Voldemort said that he would die and that she was lucky that he still had use for her. A-a-and then I woke up just before he-he was about to tear her clothes, about to r-rape her." Hermione gasped and covered her mouth with her hand and so did Ginny. Ron looked truly disgusted and Harry just put his hands over his face.

**(AN: Here you can start again.)**

Even though that girl was a Death Eater Hermione felt like throwing up right there on the floor. But she swallowed her nausea and asked "What do you think they Voldemort is looking for and where do you think he were looking for it?"

"I don't know..." Harry started to say but Ron cut him off.

"But it looks like we can get one answer now." He said as he saw an owl flying towards the kitchen window with The Evening Prophet. They all got up and headed for the kitchen.

When they got there Mr and Mrs Weasley were the only one in there. Mr Weasley was paying the owl and gasped when he saw he first page of the paper. "_**Several shops in Diagon Ally blown up**_!" Mrs Weasley gasped and dropped a plate she was drying for hand.

"Fred and George!" She gasped and rushed over to the table her husband sat at as Mr Weasley started to read.

"_Late this morning a number of five shops in Diagon Ally were attacked by Death Eaters._

_The first shop that went was _**Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour**, _the other four was:_

**Gambol & Japes**

**Madame Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions**

**Potage's Cauldron Shop and**

**Twilfitt & Tatting's robe shop**

_No one has yet been reported dead or missing but it is still too early to tell because of the_

_panic that break loose under the attacks._

_Nothing has been reported stolen either so it's still unclear why the Death Eater's attacked_

_Diagon Ally._

"_We do not know if the Death Eater's just did this for fun or if they were after something but we can assure you that the best Aurores are working as hard as they can." One of the Aurores who wished to stay anonymous said._

_It is reported that she shops will be up and running again before the next school term starts, read more about that in page 13 column 6._

Everyone sat quiet for a while letting it all sink in. No one had been reported dead but Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny new one, though they couldn't tell anyone. _"What could Voldemort want from one of those shops?" _Hermione wondered._ "And who had it now, bought it just a couple of days before the Death Eaters had come to get it." _These were questions she knew had to be answered very soonso they could warn whoever had the item and tell them that Voldemort were after them.

**AN: This was a hard chapter to write because I hadn't figured out what Voldemort's plan would be yet. But now I have and it's gonna be totally awesome! ;) Yes I sang that in Darren Criss voice. **

**Review please! **


	11. Secret Keeper

**AN: It's here, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 11: Secret Keeper.

Two and a half weeks passed with a lot of discussing of what You-Know-Who was after. They all had different ideas of what he could've been after and the discussions would always end up with anger and bickering, especially between Hermione and Harry. Yesterday though, all four of them had agreed that they had too few leads and they would stop arguing about it until they had some more.

Now it was the 18th of August and only two weeks until the Hogwarts Express left for the new term to school. Seven weeks had passed since they had been forced to leave their homes for the safety at number twelve Grimmauld Place. With the lack of money the Weasleys had, and with two birthdays that had been celebrated, the rebuilding of the Burrow hadn't even started yet. Both Hermione's parents and Harry had offered money to them, but his father had gently refused. Ron had given all of his money back to his parents and had said that he didn't want any from them until the Burrow was standing again. But he knew that it probably wouldn't help much and he had started worrying about spending Christmas here at Grimmauld Place or at Hogwarts.

Ever since Ron and Harry had their fight and Ron had told him about Hermione's and his relationship, Ron had thought more alone time would come for him and his girlfriend. Boy had he'd been wrong. Sure now they could hold hands and give each other pecks on the lips whenever they wanted without worrying who would see, but after the attack on Diagon Ally, Fred and George had moved in on the floor above his and Harry's just to get their mother to stop nagging them. Bill had done the same, and although his mother was happy that so many in her family were gathered, she was still annoyed because with Bill came Fleur. One thing that really irked Molly was at dinner when Fleur started to blab about how much better France and Beauxbatons were than England and Hogwarts, everyone (except Bill) was annoyed.

So with everyone in his family plus the members of the Order who ran in and out as they pleased, the house was basically too crowded for a young couple in love. Every time they tried to sneak off to somewhere private, they were always interrupted before Ron had even gotten his hands under her shirt and to be honest, it was beginning to get on both their nerves. He longed for the days when they were back at Hogwarts and he could take her to an empty classroom or the Room of Requirement.

Now Ron was sleeping, dreaming about the last time he and Hermione had been together when they had fallen asleep in the drawing room on his and Harry's floor. He was sleeping deeply, almost so deep that he didn't wake up by a pair of lips that had started to kiss his, but only almost. He didn't have to open his eyes to know who those lips belonged to. _"Hermione!"_

He untangled his arms from his sheets to put them around her and brought her lying on top of him. She giggled and started to kiss his jaw and wander down a path to his neck.

"Mmm... what time is it?" he asked as she started to stroke his bare chest.

"Mm about eight a clock." Hermione answered and lay down, snuggling up to his left side.

"You're very welcome to wake me up like this every morning love, but please make it a little later in the day." He said and laid his head back against his pillow ready to fall back into his dreams.

"You obviously have forgotten that today is the day Dumbledore will come to take you to my parents safe house and make you the secret keeper of it." Hermione said and stroked invisible circles on his chest.

"Oh yeah." He said and opened his eyes. "Time has really flown by this summer." He looked over at her as she rose up on her elbows. She was still wearing her bathrobe but it was open and underneath he saw a light pink nightgown in silk. _"Sexy!"_

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" she asked, worry showing across her face. "Don't take this wrong, I trust you with me and my parent's life and I know that there is no better person for this. But I don't want you to do this because you feel forced to." Ron stroked her cheek.

"I assure you that I'm not doing this because I'm feeling forced to. I do this because it's your parents, your family… the family of the woman I love and would do anything to keep her and them safe." He said.

Hermione leaned forward and kissed him again but more softly this time. "I love you too." She said as she lay back down on his chest. Then Ron remembered that he was sharing this room with his best mate, but when he looked over to Harry's bed he saw empty sheets tangled on his bed.

"Where is Harry?"

"I woke him up before you and chased him out of the room to get a few minutes alone with you." Hermione answered not opening her eyes.

"Really? How did he take that?" he asked sounding amused.

"He walked out mumbling something how we couldn't keep our hands off each other, but he thanked me for the warning because he thought he had walked in on us too many times the past few weeks." She laughed. Harry had walked in on them snogging four times now. The night he had found out, twice when they were snogging on Ron's bed and the fourth time in the attic when he was told by Mrs Weasley to find and tell them lunch was ready. Hermione rose herself in a sitting position beside him and said, "I'm sorry we haven't had as much alone time as I would have liked, and therefore I'm sorry that I haven't been able to keep my promise to you. But I'll make a new promise that it will happen once we're back at Hogwarts." She blushed but smiled and didn't look away from him as she spoke.

"Will it happen the night we arrive there?" he said smiling smugly back at her.

"Maybe… if you're good." She blushed even more at those words.

"You know, I've missed you sleeping beside me ever since the first night out of the hospital wing; you're free to sneak up to my bed anytime you want when we get back to school."

"Ron we can't, it's against the rules and someone may catch us. What if it's Harry or Neville? That would be so embarrassing!"

"Please! They wouldn't tell on us. I mean sure it would be embarrassing for a while, but that will pass. It would only be sleeping." He took her hands in his. "Please love, I really liked it when I woke up and saw you beside me." He saw the wheels in Hermione's brain turning.

"Well, I really liked it too." She said after a while. "You don't have those dreams anymore right?"

"No, not for a couple of weeks, why?" he asked but Hermione just went back to her thinking.

"I'm not saying no but I'm not saying yes either; we have to see how the situation is and I will decide then, ok?"

"Ok." He said feeling a little disappointed but it was soon gone when she kissed him passionately again. He felt her tongue ask for permission to his mouth and he happily granted it. Their tongues massaged each other as did their hands. Hermione's hands massaged his chest and his were on her back. But unfortunately they had to get up before someone came up to look for them.

"I love you." She said smiling against his lips and then backed away.

"I love you too."

"Come on now, we need to get some breakfast before Dumbledore comes," she said and jumped off the bed. "I'll meet you at the bottom of the stairs when you're ready." She pecked him one last time and then went over to the door but Ron didn't hear it close until he had turned from the door and already taken off his pyjama pants. He just smiled and threw on some muggle clothes.

When he and Hermione entered the kitchen they saw Dumbledore with purple robes and a matching hat, already sitting at the end of the table with Harry to his right. Dumbledore, acknowledging their presence said, "Ah good morning Mr Weasley, Miss Granger." Harry turned around in his chair:

"You never told me that you're gonna be secret keeper Ron."

"Oh yeah, there was so much going on, guess we just forgot to tell you… sorry about that mate."

"You sure you're up for this Ron? What if Voldemort finds out? Isn't it enough that I make you a target!"

Ron tried not to shudder at the name but couldn't help himself. "You're not making me a target mate; I'm a target because I'm a blood traitor. I don't care if this will make me a bigger target, they are Hermione's parents and I will do everything I can to keep them safe."

"And you are ok with this Hermione?" Harry asked and turned to her as did Ron.

"I don't think it will put Ron in more danger than he already is. The Death Eaters only went to hurt my parents to get to me, to make me tell them how to get in to your uncle's house. But I'll be at Hogwarts so I don't think they will spend any more energy on them while I'm there." Hermione took Ron's hand and smiled at him. "And there is no one else that I trust more than Ron; he is the only one I would pick." Ron smiled down at her.

Harry looked at them back and forth for a while but then said, "Well if you both are sure, it's good enough for me." Harry turned back towards the table.

"I'm very glad that you are so determined to do this Mr Weasley, it will only make the Fidelius Charm stronger. Your parents are on their way down Miss Granger, so if you please have a seat, we will wait for them before I give you the information you will need for how this day will proceed." They waited for about five minutes before Mr and Mrs Granger arrived and when all were seated, Dumbledore spoke again.

"I've only called you here to see if everyone is still as positive to do this. I've already heard Mr Weasley's and Miss Granger's answer and it was a very good answer. How about you Henry, Monica? Are you still sure, now when you have gotten to know Ronald here a bit more, that you want him as your secret keeper?"

"Yes we are absolutely sure; we think he's a good young man." Henry said and smiled at him.

Ron could feel his ears grow red in embarrassment but still, he was pleased that they liked him. He remembered the day when Mr Granger, and the rest of Ron's family, had found out his and Hermione's relationship. Mr Granger had nicked him for the talk of his intentions towards Hermione and Ron had answered truthfully that he would do everything to make Hermione happy, and if he was to decide she would stay with him forever because he loved her very much. That answer had startled Mr Granger at first because he hadn't known anyone to love a person so much at such a young age, but it had pleased him nonetheless.

"Good." Dumbledore said. "And as happy as I am that you are willing to do this Mr Weasley, you are still underage, but I've spoken with your parents and with some convincing, they have agreed to let you do this."

"_I would've done it anyway."_ Ron thought to himself but only nodded in response.

"You and I will practise the spell here and then apparate to the safe house. You will perform it and everyone who has ever known about its existence will forget about it. You will tell me where the house is again and then we will return to get Ms Granger, Monica and Henry. Do you all agree to this plan?" Everyone just nodded. "Good, I suggest that you start packing and say your goodbyes, the spell shall be finished this afternoon. Mr Weasley, if you would stay please."

Everyone started to get up and leave the room; Hermione kissed his head and stroked her hand over his shoulders as she followed her parents and Harry. When they were gone he looked back to Dumbledore who was smiling at him.

"I see that it is going well between you and Miss Granger." He said.

"Yes it is sir."

"I am very happy for you both; I have always said that there should be more love in this world."

"Thank you sir, yes it definitely should." He smiled at the Headmaster.

"You told Mr Potter about your relationship a bit earlier than you said you would, but it seems that it did more good. It got him out of his depression, yes?"

"He's a bit down sometimes, but he doesn't get snappy or avoid people anymore."

"Good, that is good to hear." Dumbledore took out his wand. "Now let's go back to our task at hand. I have spoken with the Ministry and for one day they will ignore the papers that come in to tell them that you have performed illegal magic. I will teach you the wand movements first, so please take out your wand and do after me." Ron did this, taking almost twenty minutes to move his wand correctly, but when he was done Dumbledore said it was almost better than his. "Now for the words, "_Ego Specialis Custos 16th Townhill Rd Swansea Wales"_ which is the location of the house. Say them with me."

That too, took about twenty minutes and saying them with the wand movements took even longer. Then there was even more wand waving. It was lunch time when Dumbledore announced that he mastered it and it was time for them to go. Ron hadn't gotten anything to eat yet so he grabbed a snack before he followed Dumbledore out of the kitchen.

Harry was sitting on the stairs but got up when he saw them. He headed towards the kitchen, probably to get something to eat, but turned around when Ron asked where Hermione was.

"She's upstairs helping her parents pack and probably saying goodbye to them."

"Ok, tell her that we already left, will you?"

"Sure thing, mate."

"Oh and tell her I love her." Ron said and laughed when Harry looked disgusted and pretended to throw up.

"Good luck mate." He then said before he went into the kitchen.

Ron went out of the house and enjoyed the sun and the wind he hadn't felt for weeks, but only for a moment as Dumbledore waited for him by the road. He put out his arm and motioned for Ron to take a hold of it. When Ron did this, he felt like he was sucked in a tube; he couldn't breathe and the whole world went black.

When the world came back to him he stumbled into a tree. He felt dizzy and almost like he wanted to throw up. But he clung to the tree, closed his eyes and focused to stop the world from spinning.

"Ah, first time apparating Mr Weasley?" asked Dumbledore. Ron just nodded; afraid everything in his stomach would come up if he opened his mouth. "Most people throw up at least once the first time. How did you like it?" Ron felt the nausea go down so he straightened up and blinked a few times.

"I really prefer brooms but it's better than the Night Bus." Dumbledore laughed.

"Don't worry; you won't feel any nausea after the first time."

"Thank Merlin." Ron looked around for the first time since they arrived. They were standing at the edge of a small forest in what looked like a small park on top of a hill. There was a road going alongside the park and across it were two- story houses in different colours towering up. It looked like a quiet neighbourhood for families with small children. It was dark, raining, and quiet but the colouring of the houses made it look like they were shining and were shouting calmness, like no crime could ever happen here.

"This is Townhill Road in the town Swansea in Wales. As you see the road reaches over a hill and it is a very calm and nice place. That is why I chose it." Dumbledore said as he started walking towards the road. "That..." he said and pointed at a light green house "... is number sixteen and the chosen house for Mr and Mrs Granger. You will go over there and when I give you a nod, perform the spell over the keyhole. If it works the handle will glow red. Now go and wait for my signal."

Ron walked down to the road and crossed it as he turned to the right and walked about fifty feet to the house. The lawn looked newly cut (Ron guessed magic had something to do with that) and what Ron thought was a gnome, though it had a red hat and a beard like Dumbledore, was standing on the grass. When he got to the door, he turned around and tried to spot Dumbledore. But that was quite hard as he first didn't recognise him since he had never seen him in muggle clothes. He was dressed in a light brown jacket with a white shirt underneath, pressed pants and a bowler hat that both matched the jacket. The beard was in two braids and he had a walking stick. He looked like a regular old muggle-man.

There were a couple of cars driving by and some people were walking on the sidewalk too. But Ron just concentrated on the old man across the street and when he gave a slight nod, Ron took a deep breath, turned around, pointed his wand at the keyhole and started the spell. He began the wand movements, and then about two minutes later added the words "_Ego Specialis Custos 16 Townhill Rd Swansea Wales" _and then ended it with the finishing movements. Ten minutes had passed after he was done with the spell and now he was waiting for it to glow red, but it didn't. He looked over his shoulder at Dumbledore, but he was turned the other way. Ron looked over to the handle again and to his amazement saw a deep red colour shining all over it.

Ron, pleased with himself, walked away from the house and over to Dumbledore.

"Ah, there you are Mr Weasley, isn't it a bit strange that the house number 16 is missing from this street?" It had definitely worked.

"But professor, number 16 is right there." Ron said and pointed at the house.

"Oh right." He said and turned to the house. "Very good Mr Weasley, now let's go and get Mr and Mrs Granger." They started to walk back to the park.

"I just have to say sir, that I like your clothes." Ron smiled down at him as he was a few inches taller.

Dumbledore chuckled, "Thank you Mr Weasley." They only did some small chat the way back to the small forest in the park where they had apparated.

When they got back to Grimmauld Place, Mr and Mrs Granger were standing with their luggage in the hallway talking to Hermione. When they noticed that Ron and Dumbledore were back, Hermione went over to Ron and hugged him.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Mr Weasley performed the spell brilliantly. I could not have done it better myself." Dumbledore said and smiled at them. Hermione kissed him on his cheek and he felt his ears heat up. Mr and Mrs Granger walked up to him and Mr Granger took out his hand for Ron to shake it.

"Thank you Ron for all the things you've done for my family," he said as Ron took his hand. Mrs Granger walked up to him and kissed him on the other cheek that Hermione had done and Ron blushed again.

"Mr Weasley if you would whisper to Mr and Mrs Granger the location of their safe house, please. I'm sorry Miss Granger but it is best that you don't know the location."

"I know and understand professor." Dumbledore nodded at Ron and he walked over to Hermione's parents and whispered the _"16__th__ Townhill, Wales" _in their ears. "I will give you a couple of minutes to say goodbye… I will go wait outside." Dumbledore said and walked outside.

Hermione walked up to her father and hugged him. "Have a good term sweetheart, take care and be safe."

"I promise dad."

"Ron, I know how my little girl can be when she studies, sometimes she forgets the world around her. Make sure that she takes some time off and eats like she should."

"Dad! I'm not little anymore." Hermione said as she let go of her dad with her cheeks pink.

"Don't worry Mr Granger; I will make sure she eats every meal."

"Hello! Stop talking like I'm not in the room! I'm seventeen in a couple of weeks so I think I can take care of myself." Hermione said and crossed her arms and stomped her foot on the ground, something that gave Ron a turn on every time. _"Snape in a bikini, Snape in a bikini and Snape in a bikini."_

"Ignore them Hermione… they're just teasing you." Her mother said and hugged her daughter. "But please take care-both you and Ron. Do you know if we can be together on Christmas?" she asked.

"I think professor Dumbledore has to decide that. It will probably depend on how the situation is then, and I don't think I will be allowed to come to the safe house." Hermione said and let go of her mother.

"Maybe you can come here at Christmas or to the Burrow if it's rebuilt by then. I'll talk to my parents." Ron offered.

"Thank you Ron, but there is no rush yet." Mrs Granger said.

"I think we must go now… Professor Dumbledore has waited long enough now Monica."

"Yes, of course." Hermione hugged her parents once again and Ron saw tears in her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you so much."

"We're gonna miss you to pumpkin." Her father said as her mother kissed her cheek. Hermione backed away from them and into Ron, who put an arm around her. "Goodbye sweetheart…goodbye Ron."

"Bye you two, and take care of each other." Her mother added.

"Goodbye mum and dad, we will." Hermione said and Ron saw how she fought back her tears.

"Bye Mr and Mrs Granger, hope to see you at Christmas." Ron added and squeezed her shoulders as they walked out to Dumbledore. When they were gone, Hermione turned around and cried into his chest.

"This is a bad idea. What if something happens to them? What if they come after them and I'm not there!" She sobbed.

"Hey hey, you got to stop this, love. If you go and worry about this the whole time they stay there, it's gonna eat your insides. And they're in a safe house; no one will know where they are unless they find out from me." He put his hands on her cheeks and made her look at him. "It was your confidence in me that made me believe that I was the best person for this, Hermione. Please don't stop believing in me now because then I'm sure as hell not gonna be able to go through with this." She stopped crying.

"I'm sorry Ron; I didn't mean it like that, and don't swear. You are the only one I trust for this. I'm just worried that the Death Eaters could find another way to get past the Fidelius, and I'm so worried that they will go after and torture you for their location. I can't lose you Ron, I just can't." She buried her face in his chest again and he started to stroke her hair and let her cry and whispered encouraging words to her.

When she had quieted down he stroked away her tears with his thumbs. "Everything will be alright love. Soon we will be at Hogwarts and we can focus on school and us." He pointed at them both when he said this. "And we'll be too busy to worry about anything else, ok?" Hermione sniffed but smiled up at him.

"Sometimes you say exactly what a person needs to hear."

"I have my moments." He said and smiled down at her. She rose on her toes and kissed him deeply but not for too long as Ron's stomach chose to tell him that he hadn't eaten anything but a cracker the whole day. Hermione chuckled and pecked him again. He took her hands and led her towards the kitchen. "Come on," he said, "before you lose me to starvation."

**AN: It took a little longer for this chapter to come up because my new Beta and I had to decide how to send the chapters between us. And the time difference didn't help us. But now that that is done I don't think it will take this long for the chapters to be posted.**

**Anyway, I want to thank my Beta and you for all the wonderful reviews you've given me.**

**Keep them coming!**


	12. Back on the Hogwarts Express

**AN: Cormac McLaggen will appear in this chapter, he is in Gryffindor but I've decided to move him to Hufflepuff so he could be a prefect in the same years as Ron and Hermione. I just wanted you to know so that you didn't think it was a mistake. Enjoy!**

Chapter 12: Back on the Hogwarts Express!

It was the first of September and it was all but quiet at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Mrs Weasley were running around trying to get everything packed for the next term at Hogwarts. Well, Hermione had already packed the day before, so she was just helping the others organise their things.

Ever since the Ministry had realised that Voldemort had indeed returned, they had tried to make it up to the Wizarding World and to Harry by writing coded apologies in the Daily Prophet. They also had now offered two Aurors to escort them all to King's Cross Station. So now at ten o' clock, there were two cars pulling up on the street, with an Auror in each one. Everyone but Bill and Fleur had decided to come and wave them off. "Oh! I wonder what they will do with no one in the house," Fred said earning him a slap on his head by his mother. When Fred said this, Hermione saw Bill's face and ears turn a scary scarlet shade. The boys and Hermione just chuckled at Fred's comment, before squeezing in the backseat of one car with Crookshanks, Hedwig and Pig in their cages while the Auror and Mr Weasley sat in the front. Ginny, Fred and George with Mrs Weasley all piled in together in the other car.

They had decided that even if they remembered in the car that they had forgotten something, Mrs Weasley would send it to them instead of going back to get it. Therefore, they were there half an hour later and pretty early for being the Weasleys. Ron, who was sitting in the seat closest to the sidewalk, got out first and held the car door for Hermione and Harry. She smiled and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"You don't have to kiss me, mate." Ron said chuckling as Harry got out. Harry just punched him on the arm as Hermione started to laugh.

When they all were together again, Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny grabbed a carriage to put their luggage on before they went off to the barrier between Platforms nine and ten. There were a lot of muggles this year; it would be hard to get onto their Platform nine and three-quarters without being seen.

"Ok one of the Aurors will go first, then Fred and George next, and then Harry and Ginny, and then you two- Ron and Hermione… and we'll follow thereafter." Mr Weasley shouted over the crowd. The Hogwarts Express was as red as ever and a lot of steam came out of its chimney so the whole platform was laid in white smoke. There weren't so many at the platform yet, but they wanted to find a good empty compartment for themselves. They boarded and chose one in the middle of the train. Hermione got it first and tried to lift up her luggage on the shelf, but it was really heavy because of all the books.

"You want help with that?" Ron asked. She turned around and saw him smiling at her.

"Yes thank you, I'm just gonna take out my robes first." Hermione said, doing so, and then backed away as Ron took her case without any bigger problems. Hermione stared at him as his muscles in his arms strained as he lifted it over his head. As he was lifting it, she saw his shirt ride up and revealed his abs and hair around his bellybutton that went down in his pants. _'Oh I really hope we can get some alone time tonight. I've really missed those abs.'_

"Hermione, if you can stop drooling over my brother for five minutes, can you please move away so we also can put in our luggage? And by the way, you both know that you could've done that with magic." Ginny said as she and Harry still stood in the hallway snickering.

Hermione blushed to the root of her hair, took her robe and walked out of the compartment. "I will go and change before I leave and say goodbye. I think you should too Ron so we can set a good example for the new first years."

"Yes Ron, listen to your mum and do as she says." Harry said as he and Ginny burst out laughing.

"Oi! You two shut up." Ron said and pushed Harry onto one of the seats with one hand. "I will my love." He then said as Harry and Ginny looked disgusted, but Hermione smiled as they pretended to throw up when she blew Ron a kiss and he winked back at her.

Hermione went to the bathroom and changed and put her prefect badge on before she went back to the platform. When Hermione returned, Harry and Ginny went over to stand with the twins and Mr and Mrs Weasley, who were standing and chatting with Moody, Remus and Tonks (who were holding two cages with her).

"Wocher Hermione." Tonks greeted her.

"Hey, what are all of you doing here?" She asked when she reached them.

"We're here to patrol the train and protect you if something happens." Moody answered.

"D-do you think something will happen?" She tried to leave the worry out of her voice but failed miserably.

"Didn't you hear what I said Granger? IF something happens- constant vigilance Granger, constant vigilance."

"Oh don't mind him Hermione; he's just grumpy because he didn't get to escort you here."

"And within reason I can be grumpy. Those two that escorted you are only rookies and couldn't recognise a Death Eater if he would be dancing with their wands pointing right under their noses."

"Oh you have to give them a chance Mad-Eye; you were a rookie once too. Though I understand I would be hard to remember when it was 200 years ago- ow!" Tonks said and snickered when Moody hit her on her knee with his walking stick. Hermione felt an arm go around her shoulders and when she looked up she saw Ron in his school robes with a new polished prefect badge fasten above his heart.

"What's with the luggage Tonks?" he asked.

"Well, I thought since I was already gonna ride the train, I may as well take my luggage with me. It's unnecessary to apparate back and get it when it can ride with me now." Hermione looked up at Ron and saw the same confusion she felt written over his face.

"We haven't told them yet Tonks." Mr Weasley said.

"Oh… sorry." She said and smiled at Hermione and Ron. "I'm gonna be your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Oh that's great Tonks! Finally a normal DADA teacher." Ron said.

"Hey!" both Remus and Moody said.

"Quirrell was a Death Eater and tried to kill us… Lockhart was a fraud and tried to kill Harry and me…you were a great teacher Remus, but you had your little furry problem once a month and you tried to kill us." Tonks snickered at the words furry problem. "You Moody had another Death Eater posing as you and tried to kill us… and finally, we had Umbridge who tried to make our lives a living hell and torture us. I'm just saying that this year we will have a normal DADA teacher who won't try to hurt us."

"Yes I can guarantee you that." Tonks said

"And I'm sure you got a lot to teach us about defence, being an Auror and all." Hermione said beaming at Tonks.

"Yeah for a couple years, barely had any experience at all." Moody mumbled.

"Oh I've had enough experience and you are proud of me even if you don't show it."

"Who are proud of you and why?" Harry asked as he, Ginny and the twins joined them.

"Mad-Eye is proud of me because I'm your new DADA teacher." Tonks announced to them.

"Really? That's great. Finally someone normal! Oh and maybe you can teach us more about you being a metamorphmagus." Ginny said.

"Well, I can't teach you how to do it; you have to be born with it. But I can teach you about it."

The platform was beginning to get really crowded now as the clock drew near 11. Hermione had seen Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan walking past them with their families. Lavender Brown had also walked past them bawling with her mother about how much makeup she had with her. They walked right up to Padma and Parvati Patill and Hermione could bet some galleons that Lavender continued her conversation about makeup with them. Just then Neville walked in through the barrier with Luna and her father. They waved at them when they spotted them.

"Hi guys, which compartment are you sitting in?" Neville asked.

"The one in the middle- do you want to sit with us?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, if you don't mind of course?"

"Not at all Neville… hi Luna." Hermione said to Luna who was looking up in the sky.

"Oh hi Hermione." She said and then her eyes went back.

"We're just gonna say goodbye and we'll be with you in a bit." Ron said.

"Well, hurry up guys… the train leaves in 5 minutes." They went away from them and headed towards the train.

Hermione hugged Mrs Weasley first. "Thank you so much for everything Mrs Weasley."

"Oh it was nothing dear. We're just happy to have you with us. And I'm so happy that you and Ron finally found each other, and I hope we all can be together with your parents at Christmas."

"I do too Mrs Weasley… goodbye."

"Goodbye dear." She hugged Mr Weasley after and thanked him too. Then after, she hugged Fred and George.

"Don't be too hard on the students this year." Fred said.

"And don't ban too much stuff from them." George added.

"Cause most of them will probably be from our shop."

"And it wouldn't be good for business..."

"... if our customers don't have a chance to use them." They finished together.

"I won't make any promises guys." Hermione said and smiled at them.

"Oh you're a tough one Granger- what do you want? Money, free gift card, name it."

"Sorry but you can't buy me." She started to walk away.

"Oh we will find a price Granger."

"You'll be begging for it sooner or later." They shouted after her. She ignored them and boarded the train behind Ron.

"Don't mind them 'Mione. They just want to tease you." Ron said as he looked over his shoulder at her. "Come on, let's go find the others and tell them we're going to the first Prefect meeting."

"You want to go there already?" she asked shocked.

"Yeah, thought we could get there a little early."

"Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?" Ron turned around and kissed her on the mouth. The moment she felt his lips on hers, she forgot that they were in the middle of the hallway. But it was all gone too fast because Ron backed away.

"Because I'm the only one that can take your breath away and make you speechless, then I think that was proof enough that I'm your boyfriend." Hermione was still dizzy and didn't even know what she was nodding at. Though it didn't last too long as...

"AHHHHHH!" Hermione turned around and saw Lavender and Parvati running towards them and before she knew it, both were hugging and almost crushing her. Ron was knocked down on the floor as Lavender had pushed him out of the way when the two attacked them.

"Oh Merlin! I always knew you would get together despite all the fights in the Common Room and in the Great Hall."

"You must tell us how it happened. I bet it was romantic with flowers and chocolate."

"Though I never know why you wanted him after you got Viktor Krum and Harry on the hook."

"Yeah you and Krum looked so good together at the Yule Ball and that article in the Daily Prophet about you and Harry was so nice."

"I thought in third year that you would choose Harry for sure when you and Ron had that big fight."

"But last year when you gave him that kiss before his Quidditch match and you both blushed like mad, it was then we saw that you were perfect for each other."

"I even stopped my crush on Ron because I saw that he was already taken."

"OK that's enough." Ron interrupted them. "Yes- we're together and you don't need to know anything else. Now go away and torture others with your cackle."

Lavender and Parvati scowled at him. "Like I said, I don't know why you chose him when you had Krum; I heard _he_ was a gentleman." Hermione finally found her tongue.

"Hey don't pick on him. Ron is only a gentleman to those he feels deserves it, and I don't feel like you deserve it right now." Lavender and Parvati just scoffed at them and walked away.

"Wow, those two can be really mean when they start to babble."

"Did you know that Lavender had a crush on me?" Ron asked and started walking again. Hermione hadn't noticed the train moving, but it had clearly been moving for a couple of minutes.

"Yes… at the end of our fourth year. I imagine strangling her every time she and Parvati talked about it in our dorm." Ron laughed at this but Hermione felt a rock in her stomach. "Did you ever have a crush on anybody else, Ron?"

"Well there was one." Hermione felt her stomach knot waiting for his response. "She lives in Ottery St. Catchpole and I was like five and she was thirty years older. You should have seen your face right now." Ron said and laughed. "I don't think I'm the only one in this relationship who is jealous." Hermione punched him on his arm but couldn't help but smile.

When they got back to their compartment, Luna was telling Ginny and Harry about her summer. "...then we went to the northern part of Sweden to a small town called Härnösand. We didn't find anything there, but a couple of miles north of there we found a place called Höga Kusten- a really beautiful place where we found a lot of Wrackspurts."

"And were you with her the whole summer Neville?" Ginny asked, smiling smugly at him as he blushed to the root of his hair.

"Well no, I didn't go with her to Sweden but when she got back she sent an owl and asked me to come to her house and I stayed there for the rest of the summer."

"And what did you two do there... something nice?" Ron asked with the same smile as his sister which made Neville blush even more, but Luna seemed as calm as ever as she continued her conversation.

"Well, we did several nice things. I drew some pictures and Neville had some plants with him that he planted in my father's yard. We took some swims in the pond and shared our first kiss and… Neville asked me to be his girlfriend there. We even tried to find the rest of your house, but the wards were too great. We're really sorry about your house, Ron and Ginny."

"Thank you, Luna. So did you say yes to Neville when he asked you to be his girlfriend?" Ginny asked still smiling.

"Of course I said yes. I have liked Neville for a long time now."

"Well we're really happy for you guys. Ron and Hermione have finally admitted their feelings for each other too but they did it after the Department of Mysteries."

"Really? Congrats guys!"

"Thank you Neville… now we just came in here to tell you that we're gonna go to the Prefect meeting. See you in a bit." Ron said as he took Hermione's hand in his and they started to walk to the Prefect cabin at the front of the train.

"Neville and Luna huh? That's an odd couple." Hermione said.

"Mmm..." was Ron's only answer.

"It will be really interesting to see where their relationship goes."

"Mmm."

"Are you all right?"

"Mmm."

"When we get to Hogwarts I'm gonna chop off all my hair and make a beard like Hagrid's out of it."

"What?"

"I just wanted to get your attention, now what is going on with you?" They had stopped outside an empty compartment which was beside the Prefect's. Ron opened the door and motioned for Hermione to get inside. First she just looked at him but then stepped inside. _'He must have something important to say.' _ When she turned around, Ron was pulling down the curtain to the window that pointed out to the hall.

"Ok- what is this all about?" Ron walked closer but he didn't stop like Hermione had expected. Instead he put his arms around her and kissed her passionately. She put her arms around his neck as he lifted her up. They hadn't kissed like this in weeks and Hermione hadn't really understood how much she missed it until now. His tongue entered her mouth and she massaged it with her own. He lay her down on one of the seats and lay on top of her, never breaking the kiss.

He took his robe off and Hermione's hands loosened his tie and then went under his shirt, stroking him up and down his chest and then did the same to his back. She moaned as his lips left hers and wandered down her neck.

"Is this the only reason you wanted to go early?" she moaned.

"Yes." He said and kissed her neck again.

"And here I thought something was wrong with you or you had to talk about something important."

"There was something wrong-I've been longing for you the whole day and I just couldn't wait until tonight."

His hands went up her shirt and stroked her stomach; he looked up at her, asking her if he could continue. She nodded and moaned again when his big hands covered her breasts. She opened her eyes, which she hadn't noticed that she had closed, and looked up at him. He looked beautiful- yes she knew that she shouldn't call him beautiful but she couldn't find any better word. His eyes were closed and his face was bathed in pure happiness and concentration as she kissed him again. His hands were making its way to her breasts through her bra, squeezing, stroking and pinching her nipples, and her breathing grew quicker.

She could hear voices nearing their compartment which meant that the Prefect meeting would be starting soon, way too soon in Hermione's opinion. She put her hands over his to still them and then looked up in his sapphire blue eyes which were darker than they used to be.

"I'm sorry but we have to stop now my love. I'm afraid the Prefect meeting will start any minute now." She stroked his cheek as he lay down beside her.

"Do we really have to go to this meeting?" He sounded frustrated and when Hermione turned to her side and accidently pressed herself a little more against him, she felt against her thigh why. Both blushed but she continued like she hadn't noticed anything.

"Yes we do. It's the first meeting of the year and the most important one. We will meet the Head Boy and Girl for the first time as well as get our patrol schedules for the year. There are probably some new announcements and rules for the year."

"Fine, I get your point," he said grumpily and started to get up only to be pulled down again for one last kiss.

"Thank you my love, this was really nice."

"Only nice?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Ok, freaking incredible." She chuckled but he frowned.

"I'll understand if it was only nice, I didn't make you come this time." Hermione smiled at him.

"That's ok, you have once and I haven't done anything to you yet and you haven't complained once."Hermione put both of her hands on his cheeks and pulled him down so his forehead rested on hers. She looked up in his eyes and continued further. "But I'll make us even tonight… I promise." Ron looked shocked at first and then he looked like he tried to decide if she spoke the truth.

"W-what exactly d-do you mean by t-that?" he asked as he grew more flushed than he already was from their moment.

"I'm not ready to go all the way yet, Ron. But you've made me feel so good every time we've done this and I've always left you like that." She looked down at the bulge between his legs.

"Wait, I don't want you to do anything that you're not ok with just because you feel guilty for doing something like that to me." He sat up and so did Hermione. "I like doing this to you even if you won't even touch me." Hermione pecked him on the lips.

"Believe me when I say this, love- I wouldn't ever do something like this if it was built on guilt or if I felt forced to. I want to do this; I want to make you feel as good as you've made me." She kissed him again.

"Are you sure?" he asked when she backed away again.

"Yes, I've been sure for quite some time but we didn't have the privacy we will have at Hogwarts." She stood up. "Come on now or we're gonna be late."

"So have you considered sleeping with me tonight? I mean not sleeping with me... but in my bed... you know... beside me." She smiled as he stumbled on his words.

"You know I want to Ron, but I can't give you an answer before we're lying in bed. Then I will see if I can sneak over to yours."

"Ok." They both straightened their clothes and hair so they wouldn't look like they had snogged for the last twenty minutes. When they entered the Prefect's compartment, they noticed that they were the last ones except for the Head Boy and Girl.

"They saw all of last year's fifth and sixth year Prefects, even Draco Malfoy much to Hermione's and Ron's surprise as his father had been transported to Azkaban after the Department of Mysteries. When Hermione and Ron came in, Malfoy looked at them like he could kill them with his eyes. Hermione even thought that Pansy Parkinson had to put down his arm as it looked like he tried to grab his wand. But the Head Boy and Girl walked in before Hermione could say anything to Ron. The Head Boy, Howard Draper was from Ravenclaw. He was pretty short and had dark brown hair and glasses. The Head Girl was none other than Katie Bell. She waved at them as they sat down beside Colin Creevey and Lisa Stokes, who were the new fifth year Prefects from Gryffindor.

"Welcome everyone to our first Prefect meeting." Draper said. "There are a few announcements to make so we'll get right to it. The first one is because of the war and You-know-who, the castle will not just be patrolled by us but there will also be Aurors and some volunteers there at all hours."

"Who are these volunteers?" Cormac McLaggen, the sixth year Prefect from Hufflepuff who were sitting behind her and Ron, asked.

"Second, there's new curfew limits for all students. For the first thru fourth years, it's seven o'clock instead of eight and for the rest it's nine instead of eleven. This will be posted on the boards in your common rooms."

"Third, for now the Hogsmeade weekends looks like it's still on, but we don't know for sure yet. But if there are no further announcements about it, it will be at Halloween like always."

"Why would they be cancelled in the first place?" McLaggen asked again.

"Because of how the situation is in the war and if there will be enough Aurors available to patrol the streets." Katie answered.

"Will they protect all of us or just Potter and his best friends here?" McLaggen smiled at Hermione in a way she really didn't like.

"All of us of course, Cormac." Draper said.

"Good. Because if they were only there for Potter, I would go even if there weren't any Aurors there."

"Well if you want to risk your life McLaggen, then no one will stop you. Let's move on, please." Ron said and Hermione wondered if he had seen the smile McLaggen had given her. The angry red face almost confirmed that he had. She took his hand in hers and put it behind them so McLaggen could see.

"Yes we saved the best for last. We don't want you to deliver this one just yet as it's not entirely settled yet. But Professor Dumbledore thought we needed some fun in these dark times and we decided to have another ball, probably around the Easter holidays." There were a lot of murmurs after that.

Hermione felt really excited; this time she would go to the ball with the one she really wanted to go with. She smiled up at Ron and hoped so see the same smile from him, but he looked nervously at her for some reason.

"What is it?" she whispered to him. He was quiet for a little while longer before he whispered back to her.

"We don't know if this ball will happen and I don't know if you will be sick of me and dump me before Easter- no don't interrupt." He added when he saw that she had opened her mouth to retort. "What I do know is that I can't dance and that other guys, more handsome and smarter than me will ask you. So therefore, I thought that I won't make the same mistake like I did last time and ask the one I really wanted to go with last. And maybe you can teach me how to dance because I know you can and I know you also love to teach. Anyway what I'm trying to ask is... Hermione Granger, would you like to go to the ball with me?" Ron had been looking down at his hands while he was rambling, but his eyes found hers when he asked the actual question.

She had tears in her eyes, he was just too cute. How could he even think that she would like to go with someone else but him? How could he still not know how much she loved him? Well, she just had to show him later tonight. "Of course I'll go with you! You are the only one I would want to go with. I love you." Ron smiled and pecked her on the lips. Hermione had forgotten where they were for a moment and kissed him softly for a moment but then were interrupted.

"Hey Granger," McLaggen said and leaned forward. "I've always thought you were hot, well at least after you shrunk those front teeth of yours, and I think you and I should get to know each other better before the we go to the ball. So what do you say about going out with me to the lake this weekend?"

Hermione was too shocked to respond. She was disgusted as to how could he even imagine getting a girl to go with him if he asked like that. Besides, didn't the stupid git just see that he interrupted a kiss between her and her boyfriend.

"Excuse me, but can't you see that I'm her boyfriend and it's not very smart to ask one's girlfriend out right under the boyfriend's nose." Ron said trying to stay calm but clearly couldn't miss the anger in his voice.

"Oh yeah I thought that by your kiss, but it seemed like one of your first ones so I figured that you've not been going out for very long what with all the fights between you. The odds are saying that you won't be a couple for long." McLaggen answered and took a seat beside Hermione. "So I just wanted to let you know Granger that I'm interested in going out with you when you dump this one."

Hermione took a water glass that was standing on the table in front of them and poured it over McLaggen's head. "How dare you make such a judgment on me and Ron? For your information, Ron and I have been going out since before the summer! And I wouldn't go out with a prat like you who doesn't know how to respect women." She felt Ron's arm around her waist and she felt all the support he was giving her by his touch.

"I suggest that you go and sit in the back McLaggen" Katie said "before Ron here punches you to that seat." Hermione put a hand on Ron's chest to calm him when she saw how angry he was. McLaggen did as Katie said without protest as he looked up at Ron. "I think that was all for today. We'll announce on the boards when the next meeting is. You are dismissed; Hermione Ron, I'm really happy for you and don't listen to anybody who is jealous of what you have and try to break you up."

"Thank you Katie." Hermione said.

"We promise we won't." Ron added as they walked into the hallway. Ron took her hand in his as they started to walk back to Harry and the others. "I can't believe how a guy could ask a girl to a ball like that and right in front of her boyfriend."

"I know!" Hermione agreed. "You must be really desperate to have a girlfriend or boyfriend if they're kissing their significant other when you ask one of them on a date."

"He doesn't deserve a girlfriend if he treats women like that." Ron stopped and so did Hermione because of their linked hands. "You know that I love you and I... I think you're it for me. I know that you shouldn't dream of marrying and having children when you're sixteen, but when I look at you and try to picture our future, I can't help but see that you are the one who will walk down the aisle in a white dress and later down the road holding a smart redhead baby in your arms." Ron took her other hand in his too. "I know that it sounds rather scary, but… that's how I feel."

"Hermione had tears in her eyes again. "Oh Ron that's how I feel too. It's always been you and it always will be. I always see you in those dreams too. I can't imagine a future without you either and I know that I could never love anyone else like I love you." She was crying now and they were just about to kiss when a spell swished behind Hermione and hit the wall and the end of the carriage.

"Oh how sweet that you will love each other until you die. And that shouldn't be for too long now because I'm gonna kill you now for what you did to my father!"

**AN: That was a long one. I really liked and hope you did to. **

**Thanks to my Beta Reader!**

**R&R!**


	13. First evning back

Chapter 13: First Evening Back!

Malfoy was standing with Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle, all pointing their wands threateningly at him and Hermione; though Crabbe and Goyle looked like they still didn't know which spell to use yet so they stood there looking dumb.

"You, your mudblood girlfriend and Potter will pay for putting him in Azkaban- Exuro_!_" Ron let go of Hermione as his robe caught fire. He tried to stomp on it but it continued to burn.

"_Augamenti!_" A wave of water hit Ron and drenched his clothes. He was soaking wet, but at least the fire was extinguished, though not before it had left a hole in his robes. "How dare you use dark magic against him? "_Stupefy!_" Hermione aimed her spell at Malfoy, missing him because he ducked; but Crabbe, who stood behind him, wasn't fast enough. It hit him in his chest and he was down. Pansy tried to shoot her spell at them as well but Ron pulled out his wand just in time to cast a Protego, protecting them. "Oh… did we destroy Weasels' only robe that he saved from his burning home? Are you gonna buy a new pigsty or are you gonna build up your old one?" Malfoy asked and laughed. "I heard that you had to share a bed with the pigs even after the fire, only this time it was out in the mud."

"_Petirificus Totalus!"_ Ron missed his target on Malfoy and hit Goyle in the face, falling to the ground, not being able to move a muscle.

"You should be careful Malfoy; if we could send your father to Azkaban, we sure as hell can give you a ticket to there too!"

"Go to hell Weasel!"

"Did someone have to check your forearm for any tattoos before you were allowed to board the train?"

"Fuck you Weasley!"

"Oh that isn't very nice, but I can understand that you're upset if there was someone you knew who died in the fire of my home." Malfoy raised his wand again.

"If you utter one syllable of any spell I will personally see you expelled Mr Malfoy." Tonks said as she came up behind Ron and Hermione.

"You have no authority here _cousin_." Malfoy said the last word with disgust.

"I'm afraid I do, Mr Malfoy, as I'm your new Defence teacher. It would be wise if you addressed me in a more polite manner. You may call me Professor or Madam. Now, I suggest you go back to your compartment without any more trouble. In the meantime, I will wake up your classmates… "_Enervate!" _Tonks revived Crabbe and Goyle from their spells and all of them started to walk past them quietly except for Malfoy who whispered towards Hermione,

"You better talk with your parents as much as you can Granger, because they just had a taste of the torture that is about to come for them." Tonks and Hermione had to hold Ron back from punching and erasing his smile off his face.

"DON'T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT HER PARENTS, YOU LITTLE FERRET!" He shouted as Malfoy and his gang only laughed.

"Calm down Ron or I will have to take away points when we get to Hogwarts." Tonks said when Malfoy and the others were out of sight. She and Hermione let go of Ron, but Ron put a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.

"Are you ok?" Hermione smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You know they're safe and no one but Dumbledore and me can get to them."

"Dumbledore and I. And yes I know… I'm just worried that the Death Eaters will find some kind of loop hole in the spell or something else entirely."

"After I performed the spell, Dumbledore couldn't see or even remember the house until I told him about it. The Death Eaters could only find your parents if they happen to be in the neighbourhood. That would only happen when your parents go stir crazy and decide to take a walk outside for fresh air. And I really don't think that could happen." He stroked her cheek and she pecked him on his lips.

"You're right again- I'm just a worrier you know."

"I know, and I love you for it."

"Ok lovebirds, I've heard quite enough flirting between you two to last me a lifetime." At this comment, Ron and Hermione both were flush in the face. "Let's get you back to your compartment now." They walked back to Harry and the others, and recounted their story of their encounter with Malfoy and his cronies.

The rest of the train ride was uneventful. They talked for most of it as Ron beat Harry, Neville, Ginny and Luna in Wizard Chess…Harry twice actually. Hermione took out a book in the middle of the second game with Harry. She pulled her feet under her and leaned against Ron as he put an arm around her waist where he proceeded to draw small invisible circles. She was soon fast asleep as her book fell to the ground, not even waking her.

She woke up soon after the lady with the trolley came. Ron really wanted a sugar quill, his favourite candy, but he didn't have any money. So when he said he didn't want anything, Hermione must have understood his situation and bought two sugar quills just to give him. She earned a kiss on the cheek fort that as her reward.

The rest of the time passed with Exploding Snap and more chess, though no one wanted to play with Ron anymore since he was beating everyone easily. They arrived at the Hogsmeade train station a couple of hours later. Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna had all changed intto their school robes as Ron was helping everyone to get their trunks down from the shelf.

"First years this way! First years this way will ya!" Hagrid's familiar voice boomed over the platform. It was always good to hear it every year, meant that something was normal in their lives. " 'elo 'arry, Ron, 'ermione, Neville and Luna. Had a good summer did ya?"

"Yes." They all answered.

"How was your summer Hagrid?" Hermione asked him.

"Oh it's been good, ya know… just keeping an eye on the creatures here and in the forest- nothing too exciting. Well, I'll see you up in the castle; need to take the little ones over the lake now and you 'ave to catch a carriage before all are taken."

"Bye Hagrid" they turned around and started to walk towards the self going carriages. Though when Ron approached, all he saw were black, skinny, ugly horses with wings and white eyes standing in front of them, bound with a harness to each and every carriage.

"So that's what Thestrals look like." He whispered to himself.

"What?" Hermione asked him.

"I can see the Thestrals."

"Oh."

"Welcome to the club mate." Harry said as he walked past them and climbed into the carriage. Ron and Hermione followed him and sat beside Ginny as Harry sat across from them with Neville and Luna. "Pretty, aren't they?" she said when they all were settled and the Thestrals started to move towards the castle.

"No, I can't say that they are."

"What's not pretty?" Ginny asked.

"The horses with wings that's dragging the carriages."

"There is something dragging the carriages? How come I can't see them?"

"They can only be seen by those who have seen death." Luna said. "That's one of the reasons people don't like them and their looks because most people think they're scary, though they're really friendly. It's pretty sad actually."

"And you three can see them?"

"I can too, actually." Neville said.

"So who did you see die Ronald?" Luna asked bluntly.

"Oh it must have been someone I ran past in the fire at the Burrow." Well it wasn't a total lie. It was someone in the fire, the Death Eater he himself had killed. But he didn't feel like talking about that now. Hermione must have understood though as she took his hand in hers and squeezed. He smiled and squeezed back to reassure her that he was ok.

They didn't talk much for the rest of the ride. Ron's stomach had started to grumble a long time ago as he hadn't had anything but a sugar quill since breakfast and it was near past his dinner. He really hoped the sorting would go quickly so the feast could begin. Trying to ignore his hunger pangs, he saw that soon they were on the Hogwarts ground and ten minutes later stopped outside the front door. Ron was the first one to get out and held the door for the others. When it was Hermione's turn, he took her hand to help her out.

"Again, who are you because the Ron Weasley I know would never act like a gentleman twice in one day." Hermione said chuckling.

"Ha, Ha very funny, it's just that I hadn't had a chance to be a gentleman until now."

"Sure you have, you could have done that for me for years now." Ginny said and punched him on the arm.

"Ha, when I see you walk through a door I just want to slam it in your face." Ron pushed her in a brotherly way. Ginny jumped on him to try and get him to the ground but Ron stood up and grabbed her and started to tickle her. Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice, one that reminded the two of them of their mum.

"Mr and Miss Weasley, I suggest that you stop that and get inside before I take points from you both for delaying the feast." Professor McGonagall said sternly. Ron let go of Ginny and went inside.

"Sorry Professor." He and Ginny said in unison. Hermione, Harry, Neville and Luna followed them and they all started to go into the Great Hall, but McGonagall stopped them with a hand.

"Wait, I would like for Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger to stay for a few seconds. You three can continue to the Great Hall, thank you." Ron could see Ginny making a face and then walk away kind of stiffly with her hands tied into fists, a clear sign that she wasn't happy right now.

"Mr Potter, I wanted you to stay so I can give you this." McGonagall took out a badge and gave it to Harry. "Congratulations, you are now Quidditch Captain for Gryffindors Quidditch team. I expect the Quidditch Cup to stand exactly where it is in my office by the end of the year."

Harry just stared at the badge for a moment before he looked up at McGonagall and said, "Thank you Professor! I'll be sure to do my best."

"Congrats, mate." Ron said and clapped Harry on the back and Hermione hugged him.

"Congratulations, Harry." She said.

"Thanks guys." Harry said and then turned back to McGonagall and asked, "But how come I didn't get this with my Hogwarts letter like Ron and Hermione got their prefect badge?"

"I couldn't decide between you and Miss Katie Bell because you both have been on the team the longest. Then I heard Professor Dumbledore was going to make her Head Girl so I decided you would be the best for it as Head Girl duties are stressful enough." McGonagall said." For you, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger, I would like to see you both in my office after the feast."

"Is something wrong Professor? Did we do something?"

"No, nothing is wrong Miss Granger and I haven't heard that you've done anything, but the term hasn't started yet so I don't doubt that it will come sooner or later. Ron and Hermione looked strangely at each other hearing the Professor's comment. "Now, will you please come to my office after the feast?"

"Yes, of course Professor." Hermione was blushing and Ron knew she must have thought that McGonagall had caught them for their little alone time on the train.

"Now, I suggest that we all hurry up to the Great Hall, the first years will be here any minute now and I want the sorting to go fast so we finally can get some food around here." Ron, Hermione and Harry started to head to the Great Hall as McGonagall went to meet up with the first years.

They were the last ones to arrive but Ginny and the others had saved them seats beside them in the middle of the table.

"So what did McGonagall want with you?"Ginny asked in a snappy voice as she didn't look any happier now than earlier.

"Well, she wanted to see me and Ron after the feast for some reason and she made Harry Quidditch captain." Hermione answered her.

"Really? That's great Harry!" Neville said and clapped Harry like Ron had done.

"Yeah… fantastic Harry." Ginny whispered to herself though Ron heard.

"Alright what's up with you? You've been grumpy ever since we got inside these walls." Ron said annoyed with his little sister.

"It's none of your business Ronald." She snapped at him.

"Oh but it is- as you are unfortunate to be my little sister while I'm your bigger brother."

"Oh you figured that out just now, did you?"

"Hey stop snapping at me. I'm just trying to help."

"Well it's not working." Ginny got up and went to sit at the end of the table. Before Ron could say something else, the doors to the Great Hall opened and the first years entered with Professor McGonagall. They walked to the front where the teacher table was and McGonagall took out the Sorting Hat and placed it on the chair that she had conjured. It started to sing.

_Welcome here to Hogwarts_

_To another exciting year_

_In your studies moving forward_

_Hope without too much fear_

_It's a dangerous time we live in_

_And we don't know how long it'll last_

_But a thing that might be helping_

_Is looking in History's past_

_But let's get to what we're here for_

_So we can be done at least_

_First years don't hide behind the Great Hall door_

_I'm sure everyone in here wants to feast_

_I am here for one thing_

_As most of you already know_

_I am here for the sorting _

_So let's bring on the show_

_You might belong to Gryffindor_

_Where you find courage at length_

_Or in beautiful Rawenclaw _

_Where your brain is your strength_

_In Hufflepuff they are loyal_

_And will be there when you need_

_They are not afraid to toil_

_And will follow who is in the lead_

_Or maybe Slytherin is right for you_

_Where you can make some real friends_

_Achievement they would like to go through_

_To make a name after their own ends_

_So come along, don't be afraid_

_I talk but I don't bite_

_Put me on and your house will be said_

_There is nowhere to hide from my sight._

The sorting hat went silent and Hermione leaned forward as applause rang through the hall, and whispered so only he and Harry could hear.

"That part in the beginning must have to do with Voldemort." Hermione said and ignored his shudder. "I wonder what he meant by looking in history's past." Hermione got her thinking face on, a face she had very often. "Do you think that's what he was looking for in your vision Harry, something that has to do with the past?"

"I don't know… but I still think we have too little to go on to figure that out. I think first we should focus on which shop he was trying to get it. But let's discuss it somewhere else tomorrow, somewhere more private."

The applause was dying down and McGonagall lifted the sorting hat and read the first name of her list.

"Addams, Beatrice." A small girl with black curly hair walked up the stairs and put on the hat. Ron thought she mumbled something but he guessed she was trying to calm her nerves.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted out and the girl walked to the Slytherin table and sat... right beside Malfoy.

'_Hmmm… that's odd.' _Ron thought._ "She and her family must know the Malfoy's or else she should've sat at the front of the table.'_

The sorting was soon over and Dumbledore rose from his chair and said, "Welcome new and old students to another year at Hogwarts. I'm sure everyone is as hungry as I am, but I have to make a few announcements for this year. First, I like to present the new Head Boy and Girl, if you would please rise." Katie and Draper stood up and bowed to the applause. "Second, as always the Forbidden Forest is still forbidden. Third, the Quidditch tryouts will be held two weeks from now, so I ask the captains to rise." One from every house rose and cheering came from the Gryffindors as Harry did so. "Now, onto some new announcements. As the sorting had pointed out, we live in dangerous times and I want you all to be careful and follow the new curfew rules very strictly. There will also be Aurors walking in the halls for extra protections so please don't disturb them until you absolutely need to. Now to something happier… the Hogsmeade visits looks like they're still happening, but we will see how the status of the war is before we say anything different. If you don't hear anything else, the visits will be on the Halloween weekend as always for third years and up. And at last, let me introduce you to your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Nymphandora Tonks." Tonks stood up and bowed to the applause and cheers.

"Thank you, though if you call me by my first name I will give you all detention. And that goes for you too, Headmaster." She sat down again. McGonagall glared at Tonks as Dumbledore only chuckled. "I promise Tonks, I will not address you as Nymphadora. "Now, let the feast… begin!"

Dumbledore clapped his hands and food appeared on the table. Ron remembered when he had first seen this happen for he had been just as amazed as the new first years. He still hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, and he didn't think he had ever gone this long without food. Therefore, he shovelled food on his plate and did the same to his mouth.

"Can't you eat with your mouth closed for once?" Hermione asked and she had a look of disgust written all over her face.

"I'm starving Mione… I don't have the time to close my mouth." He said between bites. Hermione still looked disgusted but let him be for now. After a while, the food disappeared and the desserts came up as Ron took a huge bite of chocolate cake and treacle tart. After the feast was over, Dumbledore sent them off to bed but Ron and Hermione waited for Professor McGonagall and followed her to her office. They walked inside and McGonagall offered them to sit in the two chairs in front of her desk as she sat behind it.

"Professor, what did the sorting hat mean about looking in history's past may help in these dark times?" Hermione asked when they were settled.

"We don't know Miss Granger. Professor Dumbledore and I used to listen to the hat's song before the start of term, and when we heard it this year we tried to ask him what he meant by it… but he refused to give us an answer."

"Why is he like that? Every year he leaves clues in his song… why not just give us the answer already?" Ron asked.

"The sorting hat is present so all can learn something here in Hogwarts, even the Professors. That's why he likes to just give us clues as he wants us to use our brain and figure it out ourselves." McGonagall said. "But enough about that, now let's get to what you are really here for at this late hour." McGonagall paused before she continued. "I know that after all your little adventures here in the castle, that you know it pretty well and are very good at sneaking around… even if you're not supposed to be good at doing that." She looked at them sternly over her glasses. "But even if I don't approve of it, we are in need of it now. You see, after what happened in the Department of Mysteries and Lucius Malfoy's capture, his son took that news pretty hard. Professor Dumbledore and I want you to keep an eye on young Mr Malfoy."

"Do you think he's up to something Professor… something that has to do with the Death Eaters?" Ron asked.

"We don't know Mr Weasley, but we are not taking any risks during these dark times."

"Who was that first girl that got sorted today; she went off to sit with Malfoy as soon as the hat shouted Slytherin." Hermione asked.

"All we know is that her family moved from America because they thought Hogwarts would be a better school for their daughter; however, I don't know how they know the Malfoys. Now, are there any more questions or can I get an answer if you will do this or not?"

"We will do this of course, Professor." Hermione said.

"How exactly will we do this? We are not in the same house (thank Merlin) so it will be kind of difficult to watch him there."

"I know that Mr Weasley. If you find a way to keep an eye on him in the Slytherins common room then that is great, but if you don't… then there's nothing we can do. I want you to watch him every time you see him and really notice what he's doing right then. If he walks off alone, then follow him and you can use your prefect's time to do this mission. Just report to me if you see something suspicious, understood?"

"Yes Professor." They both answered.

"Good. Now let's leave that and tend to something much happier." McGonagall did something she doesn't do very often; she smiled and asked "How long have you been together?"

Both Ron and Hermione sat there in shock. "Professor?" Hermione got out first.

"Oh relax Miss Granger; one of the fun things of being a Professor is to bet with the others who and when students will become a couple. Everyone guessed that you would end up together, but it wasn't settled on when exactly. So again, when did you get together?"

Ron laughed so hard he almost fell off his chair; Hermione still looked a little shocked. "W-we got together at the end of last year." Ron said as he calmed down.

"A congratulations to you both, I'm very happy for you." McGonagall was still smiling.

"Thank you Professor." Hermione seemed to have gotten over that her favourite Professor could do something like that and now see the fun in it as she smiled and blushed.

"Who won and what was the price?" Ron asked.

"The price was ten galleons and it was Professor Sprout who won, although I was very close as I guessed the summer between last year and this."

"Who else do you have a bet on?"

"Ah I think Mr Finnigan and Miss Brown will get it together before this Christmas."

"What about Harry, do you have a bet on him?"

"Well many seem to think he will go back to Miss Chang, but I don't think so after what happened to them last year. But Mr Potter is not good at showing feelings so I don't know who else he would like." McGonagall said. "But it's getting late and you should head for bed. Remember to report to me if you see something suspicious with Mr Malfoy. Good night Mr Weasley, Miss Granger."

Ron and Hermione stood up and bid good night to the Professor as they started to head for Gryffindors common room. Or so Ron thought so at first but when they got to the 7th landing and started to turn to the right towards the Fat Lady's portrait, Hermione grabbed his arm.

"No- let's head this way." She dragged him to the left.

"What? But this way doesn't lead to the common room. This leads to the Room of Requirement."

"Yes, I know." She took his hand in hers and brought it up to her mouth to kiss. "I wanted some real alone time with you… remember?" she smiled up at him.

Ron felt his ears grow red as he got more nervous for every step they took as she led them to their destination. When they got to the wall they knew the room was behind, Hermione let go of his hand and started to walk back and forth. The door appeared when she was done and they walked inside. It looked exactly like the common room except that there was only one sofa in front of the burning fire in the fireplace.

Ron and Hermione stared nervously at each other and both were blushing rather madly. It felt like they were about to kiss each other for the first time once again. This was ridiculous; they had had a couple of real alone times before and just because they knew they would go a little further tonight, didn't mean they weren't scared. He decided to break the tension; he walked over to her and kissed her passionately.

She put her arms around his neck as he put his hands on her waist. He lifted her up and she tangled her legs around him as he leaned her back against a wall. They kissed for several minutes but just before Ron was about to kiss her neck, she pushed him back and jumped down. She took his hand and led him away from the wall and towards the couch.

"This evening is for you… remember?" Hermione said and smiled at him.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to..." Hermione silenced him with a kiss.

"Are you quite finished now? I already told you I've wanted to do this for you for some time now. I'm just a little nervous." Ron smiled at her and took her other hand in his.

"Hey it's just me and I'm nervous as hell about this, too." He kissed her softly this time.

"What are you nervous about?" she asked when he backed away.

"You know, right now I'm nervous about what you've planned tonight and if I'll be any good at it. And I'm nervous about when we come to the point of having sex because I want you to like it and I'm afraid I won't be able to live up to your expectations. What are you nervous about?" he asked with a face as red as a tomato. Hermione was smiling at him.

"Right now I'm nervous about what I've planned tonight and if I'll be any good at it. And I'm nervous about when we come to the point of having sex because I want you to like it and I'm afraid I won't be able to live up to your expectations." Ron smiled more for every word she copied from him and he felt his nerves go down a notch. "I think if we help each other we both will live up to the others' expectations, what do you think about that?"

"I've always known you were the smart one." Hermione kissed him softly again.

"Sit down." she said and Ron did, in the middle of the couch. Hermione sat down on his lap with each of her legs beside his and kissed him passionately once again. He immediately felt his blood rushing south as Hermione pressed herself against him for the first time, both moaning at the contact. Ron took off her robe and wasn't sure if it was just him, but he could have sworn her shirt and skirt had gotten smaller.

Hermione was doing the same to Ron's robe and loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. He took it off completely as she began to stroke his chest. He started to guide his hands under her shirt, but she took them in hers instead.

"No." She just said and lifted one of her legs and put it between his. She kissed him softly this time and slid her hands from his shoulders down his chest and stomach. Ron thought she would stop when she felt the waistline of his pants but to his surprise, she didn't. Instead, she just lifted her hand over the waistline and pressed it down on his hard on.

"Oh sweet mother of Merlin!" he said and leaned his head back as he felt her hand on him. She immediately took her hand away and a look of horror showed on her face.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Ron." Ron looked at her, not understanding what she was apologising for.

"What? What are you sorry for?"

"I-I thought I hurt you." She said with a look of worry.

"My love, that wasn't a sound of pain, it was a sound of pleasure." He chuckled.

"Don't laugh at me. This is my first time doing something like this." She was annoyed and that was the last thing he wanted her to be right now. He kissed her and continued,

"I'm sorry my love. It felt really good and I would like for you to continue if you still want to." Hermione smiled again and kissed him. After a while, she backed away a few inches and Ron opened his eyes to meet hers which were a darker shade of brown than he remembered.

"May I see you?" she asked.

Ron was so shocked by her question, he forgot to breathe. What did she just say? Did she want to see him, all of him?

"W-w-what do you mean by see me?" he stuttered as he felt his blush run down on his pale freckled chest.

"I-I want to see you, all of you. And I think that what I'm about to do will be a lot easier w-with no p-pants in the way." Hermione was blushing just as much as him.

'_Holy mother of Merlin, she really wants to see me, touch me flesh to flesh. What if she thinks I'm ugly or too small and never wants to see me again? But on the other hand, it may be better she sees me now… I would die if she left me because she didn't like how I look just before we're about to have sex.'_

"Are you sure you want to?" he asked in a serious but lustful voice.

"Yes." He was still for a couple of seconds before he got up and unzipped his pants. Hermione stood up too and turned him towards her. "Please don't hide, it's only me." She said. He smiled at her as he undid his belt. When they were loosem he took a grip of both his pants and his underwear's waistline. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and pulled them down. He could feel the cool air against his cock. Hermione hadn't made a sound yet so he opened his eyes; hoping to get an answer of what she thought of him from her face.

Her eyes were very wide and she was breathing kind of hard where she was standing, looking down on his naked genitals. "Hm hm." She said and she looked up to his face again and smiled when she saw the question in his eyes.

"You look magnificent."

"Y-you really think so? Because I was unsure..."

"Yes, I do." She interrupted and put her hands on his chest and let her eyes wander south again. "It's much bigger than I imagined."

"You've imagined it?" he asked and blushed but smiled. Hermione blushed madly and he understood that wasn't meant to come out, but she didn't deny it.

"Y-yes I have. Can you please sit down again?" He did as she asked and when he looked up at her again he was shocked once again as Hermione have thrown away her tie and was now unbuttoning her shirt. She threw it away and unhooked her bra but she put a hand to hold it up. That's when Ron found his voice again.

"Wait… don't do this just... because... you feel... obligated." His voice died down again as he stared at Hermione's naked breasts. There was only one word that fitted them and it was 'Perfect.' Hermione put her arms around to cover herself. Ron looked up at her but she was not meeting his eyes. He leaned forward and gripped her arms. "Please don't hide, it's only me." She took a deep breath and relaxed her arms. Ron didn't look down yet but kept his eyes on hers. "You are so beautiful."

"No I'm not, I'm just plain and boring with no curves." She looked away again but didn't try to hide this time. Ron leaned backwards and made her sit beside him.

"You are anything but plain and boring Hermione… you are kind, passionate, smart, bloody beautiful and you stand up for what you think is right. I could go on all night if you want. Believe me when I say that you've got the most perfect curves because I've stared at them for years." Hermione chuckled at him and stroked away his hair from his eyes. "Sure, you may not have the biggest breasts or hips but I don't want that- I want you. I love you and I think you're perfect."

She kissed him passionately again and pressed her perfect breasts against his chest. Ron could feel her tongue lick his bottom lip as he opened his mouth to let it in and massage it with his own. He broke away and hissed when her hand gripped his cock now skin to skin. She started to slowly stroke him up and down and Ron almost came right there.

"Oh God Mione!" he hissed.

"I'm new to this; please tell me what to do."

"Y-you can grip it a little tighter."

"Like that?" she took a tighter grip and started to move her hand again.

"Oooh yesss." She moved her hand for a couple of minutes while he tried to grasp that she was actually doing this to him. She kissed him from time to time and Ron had put his hands on her breasts to massage them. It didn't take long for him to feel the familiar feeling of climax building.

"Mione you have to stop now or I'm gonna... I'm go... AHHH!" he spilled all over her hand and some on the sofa. While he laid there to recover, she took out her wand and cleaned her hand.

"I'm sorry that happened; I tried to warn you but..." she quieted him with a kiss.

"It's ok my love, I didn't mind." He put his arms around her and kissed her again.

"This was freaking amazing, thank you so much."

"You don't have to thank me Ron. We better head back; it's only a couple of minutes left until curfew." They couldn't keep their eyes off each other as they put their clothes on and would sometimes stop just to kiss. When they were done and about to leave Ron said,

"Are you sure that you don't want me to do the same as you just did to me? I would be more than happy to make you feel the same as I did."

"I'm sure my love. I'm not really ready for that just yet."

"Ok just tell me when you are. I want to make you feel just as fantastic as you made me tonight."

"I promise I will." They took each other's hands and walked off to the real common room.


	14. First night and day back

**AN: Hey! Sorry for the delay. I took a couple of days of as my Beta was out f town, and that was god because I got some new ideas for this story which will happen pretty soon. But until then I hope you enjoy this one.**

Chapter 14: First Night and Day Back!

Hermione lay in her bed in the most uncomfortable position so she wouldn't fall asleep. She could only guess the time because her drapes were drawn around her bed. She guessed it was about 12 am; Lavender and Parvati had just stopped to catch up on all that was worth gossiping over the summer and had just fallen asleep. Sometimes Hermione really hated being roommate with those two. She was so sick of hearing every boy they had ever fancied which was almost every boy from fourth year and up (she had almost jumped on Lavender when she told Parvati that she fancied Ron in fifth year). She really hoped she would be Head Girl next year because she knew they had their own room and she would never have to listen to Lavender's and Parvati's dorm talk ever again.

When she and Ron got back to the common room earlier this evening, they found Harry and Ginny. Ginny had apparently gotten over her anger about not being allowed to stay when McGonagall wanted to talk to her, Ron and Harry. Ginny had looked at Hermione and smiled at her when they climbed in through the portrait hole. It felt like she knew exactly what she and Ron had done, (well not exactly) but she knew that they hadn't been at McGonagall's office the whole time.

"Wow, what did McGonagall do to you? As your tie is a little loose Hermione and your buttons are all wrong… Ron it seems like she forced you to snog in front of her." Ginny snickered at them. Hermione refused to blush since she and Ron had every right to go and snog whenever they wanted; well they hadn't just snogged now but she wasn't going to let Harry and Ginny know about that. Ron was apparently on the same page.

"Shut up Gin. We thought we'd spare you the sight of us snogging; but if you really want to see us, I guess we can always do it in here." With this Hermione felt Ron grab her and before she knew it he kissed her right there in the common room. Everyone from the second year and up broke up and applause and shouts of "Finally!" and "About time!" could be heard. She smiled against his lips as a flash of light snapped in front of them which made her and Ron break away from each other. It was Collin Creevey with his muggle camera who had taken their picture.

"I will give it to you when I turn the film in." He said and smiled at them. When the commotion had calmed down a little, Hermione turned to Ron and said quietly so only he could hear.

"I thought we agreed not to kiss each other in front of any first years and here you break it before any of the lessons even start." The first years were cuddled up at one of the tables in the corner, not understanding what had happened just now.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist when Ginny got on us. I just wanted to get her back."

"So that was the only reason you kissed me?" She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest but they weren't like that for long as Ron grabbed them to pull her close to him again and kissed her once more.

"No, I kissed you because I wanted everybody to know that I love you." She smiled at him and put her arms around his neck.

"I love you too." She kissed him but they were interrupted this time.

"Ok lovebirds, I would appreciate that you go away for your little moments elsewhere as both Harry and I don't want to see you glued together." When Hermione and Ron sat down in each chair opposite Harry and Ginny whom were sitting on the sofa, Harry immediately wanted to know what McGonagall wanted with them. Hermione told him that it had to wait until tomorrow when there weren't so many people around. They didn't talk about much more than how the classes would be and Ron and Ginny discussed with Harry about how he should build up his Quidditch tryouts in two weeks. The common room was getting emptier as more people headed up to their dorms as Ginny, too, announced that she was getting tired as they all decided that it was time for bed. Hermione bid good night to Harry and Ginny before she turned to Ron and hugged him.

"Don't wait up." She whispered in his ear. "I have to wait for the whole tower to fall asleep and if I'm not asleep by then, I will come." She pecked him on his smiling lips.

"Good night." Ron said and pecked her once again.

"Good night." She said and pecked him one last time before she went up the girls' stairs.

Hermione peaked out from her drapes, with it nearing one o'clock. Both Lavender's and Parvati's drapes were drawn around their beds and she heard them breathing deeply. She knew they were definitely asleep. The question was, was everyone in the boys' dorm asleep? Well there was only one way to find out. She drew up the drapes slowly and as quietly as she could, got up from her bed just to draw the drapes back again so it would still look like someone was sleeping. She put on her dressing gown and her slippers and tiptoed out of her dorm. She really couldn't believe she was going to do this. She was the proper Hermione Granger who was the teacher's pet and who always turned in her homework two weeks before it was due. Hermione was not the girl who would sneak in to a boy's bed in the middle of the night.

She stopped just before she got to the common room and looked around the corner to see if there still was someone there. When she confirmed there wasn't anyone, she walked over to the boys' stairs and then tiptoed up to the sixth year's dormitory. She opened a crack in the door to hear if there was any talking in there, but all she heard was snoring. She went in, closed the door quietly and walked over to Ron's bed and found him still awake when she drew away his drapes. They both smiled at each other but didn't say anything. Hermione slipped off her slippers and put them under his bed so no one would see them if they woke up during the night. She also took off her dressing gown and put it at the end of his bed before she sat cross legged on it and put the drapes back around.

She took out her wand and cast a spell so no one could hear them, but they in turn would be able to hear everything. It also was so no one could pull up the drapes until she put down her spell.

"Hi." Ron said when she was done.

"Hi." She said back and Ron moved away his sheet for her to lie down beside him. She put her head on his chest and curled her arm around his bare stomach. "I thought I told you that you didn't have to stay awake."

"I know but I couldn't, I was too excited." He put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "And I couldn't stop thinking about what we did earlier." Hermione didn't have to look to know that his lop- sided grin was plastered on his face.

"I'm glad you liked it." She said and smiled into his chest.

"Liked it? I thought it was freaking amazing." Hermione chuckled at him and reached up to kiss him.

"We can't make a habit out of this Ron." She said when she broke away and looked down on him. His smile faded.

"You mean this is the only time we'll do this?" He pouted but she kissed it away.

"Merlin no, I only meant that we cannot do this every night or even every other night. It's too risky and I really don't want to get caught; plus we are N.E.W.T. students which mean we will be busier with school than ever before."

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe we could make it a weekend thing then. We will sleep in and you can maybe stay a little longer." Hermione thought about this for a moment and really couldn't find any fault with it.

"Yeah, all right. But only if you've done all your homework before then."

"Aaahh… do I have to?" He sighed.

"Yes you do- otherwise I won't come." She smiled at him.

"Fine, it's a tough choice, but I'll do it." She smacked him on the chest and he chuckled at her. When he calmed down, she put her head back where she had smacked him and said,

"If your homework is truly done and correct, then maybe what we did earlier this evening will also become a weekend thing."

"Really?" He asked and she nodded but didn't look up. "So that means you will look through my homework?"

"Yes I guess since you have to have compromise in a relationship." She smiled when she felt his lips on the top of her head. "I think we need to sleep now so I can get up before anyone else wakes up." She put her leg over his left one and snuggled deeper into his chest as she listened to his soothing heartbeat.

"Good night, my love." He said and yawned.

"Good night, I love you."

"I love you too." She pecked his chest and then slept peacefully.

She felt warm, cosy and so comfortable. She had never slept this good in her life, truth be told. She just wanted to fall back into it and because it was still dark, she thought she could if it wasn't for that damn beeping- oh wait, good, it stopped. She sighed and snuggled deeper into the body that was the cause of her warmth and comfort.

"Good morning." Hermione opened her eyes and saw a sleepy Ron staring down at her. At first she was a little confused, but then she remembered that she had snuck into Ron's bed the previous night. She looked at the alarm clock that was next to him on the bed. It read 5:31 am. She didn't have to get back quite yet as most people would get up at seven when the classes started at nine.

"Good morning, why did you set the alarm for now?" She said and snuggled closer to him once more and closed her eyes.

"Well I thought we could snog a little before you go back to your dorm." She looked up at his smiling face.

"We can't snog now Ron."

"Why not?" He frowned and pouted at her.

"Well… first because of morning breath."

"I don't care about that. And I thought you wouldn't either."

"Well no I don't really, but I thought maybe you did. Second, I know I always look a mess in the morning. My hair is even more uncontrollable when I wake up and I have to take a shower and some Sleekeazy's to get it down a bit." At this, Ron put his hands in her hair and drew his fingers through it.

"I think it's beautiful."

"No it's not, it's..."

"I always think it's more beautiful when it's wild and crazy. You don't need that Sleekeazy's Hair Potion; I think you're beautiful just the way you are, no matter if it's morning or evening, night or day." Hermione frowned at him.

"You've watched me at night?"

"Yes and I think the little snores you make are adorable." He smiled his lop-sided grin at her.

"I do not snore Ronald Weasley!" She yelled, hitting him on his chest.

"Oh yes you do, not like me mind you, but soft tiny ones and I think it's the cutest thing." He put his hands on her cheeks. "Now, we have wasted fifteen minutes of snogging time, so stop making up excuses and come here."

"I was not making up exc..." but her words were lost as Ron pressed his lips to hers. They snogged until 6am before Hermione had to return to her own dorm before anyone woke up. When she got back, she decided there wasn't any point in going back to her bed since there was less than an hour before she would get up. She headed for the showers and cleaned up before she went out and started to dress for the first school day of the year. She was packing her books in her schoolbag when the alarms of Lavender and Parvati blared.

"Oh good morning Hermione- had an early start did you?" Parvati said when she stuck her head out from her drapes.

"I bet she was too excited for the new school term to sleep." Lavender said a bit sleepily as she too got out from her bed curtains.

"Or she's can't stay away from Ron for one more second." Parvati said as both she and Lavender snickered.

"Laugh all you want but you should remember that I got a real boyfriend before any of you did." She said and smiled at them when they immediately stopped their laughs. She was just about to head out to the door when Lavender spoke again.

"Aren't you gonna put some Sleekeazy's in your hair today?"

"No I didn't plan to, why?"

"Well I thought that now you have a boyfriend, as you so kindly pointed out to us, I thought it would make you want to make a little bit more effort about your looks; you know, get a little bit more control over your hair and perhaps some make-up." Hermione could feel the anger boil inside her.

"Well for your information, Ron likes me just the way I am without makeup and stuff like that and I don't care what anyone else thinks." She slammed the door after her and stomped down the stairs to the common room. She sat down and started to read one of her schoolbooks, trying to forget Lavender and Parvati.

Half an hour later Ron and Harry came down the stairs from the boy's dormitory with their schoolbags on their shoulders. She and Ron smiled when they saw each other as Ron walked over and kissed her like he saw her for the first time that morning.

"I see your hair looks extra wild this morning." He said so only she could hear.

"Only for you, my love." She smiled and kissed him again.

"Urgh, are you two gonna do that every morning from now on?" Harry asked with a disgusted face. "If yes, then I think I'll have to wake earlier so I can head down to breakfast before I lose my appetite."

"Shut up Harry." They both said. They all headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"I wonder how our schedule will look now when we're N.E. students. I bet it will be quite a few free hours now that we won't have all the classes we had in the past."

"We'll have free hours?" Ron asked and Hermione nodded. "Sweet, then I can practise more Quidditch before the tryouts."

"Ron, the free hours are for studying as we will have a ton of homework to prepare for the N.E. ."

"It's over one and a half years left until the N.E. ." He frowned.

"Yes and you will have to make use of all the time you have if you want to even pass them. You will have to make a little extra time if you want to pass them with good grades."

"Oh bloody hell." He groaned.

"Don't swear and you know what will happen if you do your best on them." They smirked at each other while Harry looked at them with confusion.

"What will happen if you do your homework? Oh wait... oh no I don't want to know, forget that I asked that!" Hermione and Ron snickered when Harry's face once again screwed up in disgust. When they sat down at Gryffindor's table, Hermione started to pour some pumpkin juice into Ron's cup and put some bacon and eggs on his plate. Ron poured her tea and put two spoons of honey in it just like she wanted and also put some marmalade on her toast. Ginny, who had joined them at the table asked,

"What are you doing?" Hermione looked up to see Ginny and Harry staring at her and Ron. Hermione looked at Ron who looked just as confused.

"What?" They both asked at the same time.

"You're making each other's breakfast." Harry sated. Hermione looked down at her hands which were putting the bacon on Ron's plate.

"So?" They both asked at the same time once again. But Harry just cocked his head and Ginny snickered before they went back to loading their own plates.

They ate their breakfast and as the clock got closer to nine; Professor McGonagall started to hand out the schedules to everyone at the Gryffindor table. As she was passing out the schedules, she saw the trio and proceeded to say something.

"Ah yes Mr Potter and Mr Weasley, I must say that I didn't expect such nice OWL results from you… I was very pleased with your Os in Transfiguration." She gave them one of her rare smiles. "And it looks like you can take all the classes you signed up for: Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Herbology." She wrote down Ron's and Harry's schedule and handed it to them.

"But Professor, I didn't even pass History of Magic, how is it that I can take it?" Harry said.

"I talked with Professor Binns and convinced him to take you in his NEWT's class. I told you last year that I will do anything so you can be an Auror and I didn't think it was fair that the happenings at the Department of Mysteries would stand in your way of your dream."

"I-I don't know what to say Professor... thank you."

"You're welcome Mr Potter. I expect you will now do a better performance in this class than you have done the previous years."

"I promise I will Professor."

"Good. Now Miss Granger I am kind of disappointed..." Hermione had been excited about how Professor McGonagall would react to her OWLs. Now it felt like a stone had dropped in her stomach. "...at myself as even I didn't that many O's in everything." Hermione let out a breath she didn't even realise she had been holding. "Of course, you can take all the classes you signed up for which are the same as Mr Weasley and Mr Potter, plus Arithmancy." Professor McGonagall gave her the schedule and smiled at her.

"Miss Weasley, here is your fifth year schedule." She handed it to Ginny and then walked away to the rest of the students.

"Wow." Ron said as he followed McGonagall with his gaze.

"Yeah I can't believe she did that." Harry said still in shock.

"Congratulations on still having a chance of becoming an Auror, Harry." Ginny said and smiled a very flirty smile at him.

"Thanks Ginny." Harry said but didn't look up from his breakfast and Ginny's smile went unnoticed by him. Hermione knew that Ginny hadn't really given up on Harry; she had just decided to back away and date other guys to see if her crush on Harry would go away. Apparently it was still there and Harry was as blind as ever.

"Oh bloody hell… Double Potions with the Slytherins is the first thing. Just the start we need at the start of every bloody week the whole bloody year." Ron groaned to them.

"Don't swear Ron and if we just follow the instructions on the board and ignore the Slytherins, we should be fine."

"Well, I've got Muggle Studies first, so I'll see you at lunch." Ginny took her bag and headed off to her class as Hermione, Ron and Harry went down to the dungeons. They took their usual seats in the back of the classroom. The Slytherins had already arrived even though it was ten minutes until the class started. Hermione wasn't the least bit surprised that Snape had let Crabbe and Goyle and most of the Slytherin's back in his class, even though most of them really sucked at Potions.

"I heard you had to beg all the teachers to make them take you in their classes Potter." Malfoy said as he turned around when he heard them come in. "Apparently your grades were so bad, that they were gonna expel you from the school." All the Slytherins laughed. "How you got Professor Snape to let you in though, I have no Idea. Maybe you paid him but, no wait… then Weasel wouldn't be here." The Slytherins laughed harder. Hermione saw Ron rise out of his seat red faced and started to move towards the Slytherins, but both she and Harry grabbed each of his arms to hold him back.

"Ron don't- he's not worth it." Harry said as the Slytherins just continued laughing. But everything stopped when Snape walked in. He took a look around and his eyes landed on the trio.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for each of you- Weasley get back in your seat." Ron sat down again as Snape walked to the front of the classroom. "I am surprised that so many of you managed to get such good OWL's that you were worthy of coming back here." Hermione saw him glance at Neville who sat with Dean and Seamus in the middle of the room. "You must not have acted as dumb on your tests as you do here." They let him insult them since everyone had insults of their own to give him, but they all kept quiet not wanting to lose points.

"We will start your NEWTs year with a potion Professor Dumbledore has requested. This will be fun for me to watch since this potion is extremely difficult to brew. I am sensing that many of you will fail," Snape said as he looked at the trio snidely. The potion we will make is called Amortentia; anyone know what it is and what it does?" Hermione shot her arm up in the air and saw Snape sigh when he saw no one else knew the answer. "Yes, Miss Granger."

"Amortentia is the most powerful Love Potion in the entire world. It causes a powerful infatuation or obsession in the drinker. It has a distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen, and steam rises from it in characteristic spirals. It has a different aroma for everyone who smells it, reminding each person of the things that they find most attractive, even if the person themselves doesn't acknowledge or is unaware of their fondness for the object of their affection." She quoted from _The Most Dangerous Potions._

"Though I hate to admit it, you are right Miss Granger. The instructions to brew it are on the black board. "I expect you to make it to number five today as your potions need to be left alone for two days. After that, you will bring an example to me at the end of the class so that I can see if you even need to bother coming back to the next lesson. Begin!"

All headed off to get the ingredients and a couple of minutes later, all the caldrons had their fire going. Everything ran smoothly; her potion looked exactly like it said in the instructions. She looked over at Ron's and noticed that it wasn't too bad. Actually, she thought it looked a little bit more dark blue than deep purple like it should do after he had stirred it seven times against the sun.

"Stir it one more time." She whispered to him.

"What?"

"You've counted wrong when you stirred it and only did it six times, do it one more time." She demanded again. He did as she asked and the potion immediately turned purple.

"Thank you." He smiled at her.

"You're welcome my love."

"Silence." Snape said. Nothing more happened and it was now the end of the class and Hermione was just about to cork her half done Love Potion when a big bang came from the front row and Crabbe flew several feet in the air, landing on his fat stomach on Snape's desk, unconscious. Snape got up and checked to see if he was alive.

"Mr Goyle, take Mr Crabbe here to the Hospital Wing." Goyle pointed his wand at Crabbe and cast a Wingardium Leviosa spell to make him float behind him as he walked off to the Hospital Wing. "Now Mr Malfoy, it wasn't the potion that exploded, so I want to know what happened here."

"I saw it all Professor, Weasley back there pulled out his wand and cast a spell that hit Crabbe on his back, but he is known for bad aims so I think it was made for me." Snape turned around to Ron with anger written on his face.

"Detention Weasley this Saturday and thirty points from Gryffindor!"

"But I didn't do..."

"SILENCE! Twenty more points. I want you to read the chapter about Amortentia in _The Most Dangerous Potions._ Class dismissed! Now bring me your examples and get out of here." Everyone left their examples on Snape's desk (it almost looked like Ron wanted to toss it at Snape when he left it) and cleared out of the classroom.

Hermione had to run to catch up to Ron as he headed up the stairs from the dungeon.

"Bloody Snape and his ferret pet named Malfoy!" he mumbled. "I mean, how could he ever think it was me? There were several people between me and Crabbe and I didn't even have my wand out." Ron was so angry that Hermione was surprised steam didn't come out of his ears.

When they came up from the stairs, they saw Malfoy and Pansy were waiting for them.

"Weasley, you really need to start controlling your anger attacks, but if you can't do that then you need to at least practice your aim a bit as it was I who angered you in the first place." Pansy laughed with him.

"Get your little fur covered ferret butt over here so I can kick it to China." Ron started to head over to him, but Hermione and Harry stopped him once again.

"Held back by a Mudblood; you are a disgrace against the purebloods Weasley, you and your whole family." Malfoy walked off with Pansy on his tail, still laughing. Ron stopped struggling against them as he had a defeated look on his face. Hermione got in front of him and took his cheeks in her hands and pulled him down to kiss him.

"Don't let him get to you Ron. He just wants to get you angry so you do something like hitting him."

"I know, I just can't stand when he talks about my family, which includes you both."

"And I love it when you stick up for them, for us. But you can't fall in his trap anymore because that can be dangerous now. His father is a Death Eater and I bet his son knows a lot of his father's friends. So please, please try and stay calm when he is on us." He sighed.

"Fine… I will try my best."

"That's all I ask." She kissed him.

"Sorry you got detention mate, I was ready to kick his ass myself." Harry said and clapped Ron on his shoulder.

"What I just said to Ron goes for you too Harry. None of you can let him get to you anymore."

"Ok, ok Hermione I'll try. Now come on, we don't want to miss lunch. You and I have a free period Ron while Hermione has Arithmancy, so you can help with setting up the tryouts."

"Or you can read the chapter Amortentia Snape just asked about." Hermione said as she took Ron's hand and they started to walk to the Great Hall.

"Awwww." Both boys said but Hermione just gave Ron a look and knew at least he would do it. After lunch Hermione kissed Ron and said bye to Harry and Ginny (who they had joined when they sat down in the Great Hall) and while she walked in the corridor to her class, she thought this was the most normal first day she had ever had here at Hogwarts.

**AN: There it was! Tell me what you think about the chapter and the story so far! =)**


	15. Detention and Birthday preparations

**AN: Hey guys thanks for the reviews! Hope you enjoy this one!**

Chapter 15: Detention and birthday preparation.

The first week of being a NEWT student had been hell. As Hermione predicted, the homework pile had never been so high in all the years they had been in Hogwarts. It only continued to increase, even though he worked on the assignments during every free moment of his day. He even started to use his homework planner that he had gotten as a present from Hermione last Christmas so he could plan out how he would get everything done before the weekend.

This together with his prefect duties, keeping an eye on Malfoy (who wasn't doing anything abnormal though it seems like he had let that first year Slytherin girl be a part of his gang) and his need to get his flying skills in shape for try-outs after almost the whole summer without practise, prevented much free time with Hermione. He and Hermione hadn't had much time together except for some pecks here and there during the day and some snuggling by the fire in the common room with everyone in the Gryffindor tower around. They definitely planned to make up lost time if only the damn weekend would just arrive.

And it finally it did. It was Friday and all the classes were over. His homework was done and even though he should fly every chance he got, he thought that one day of taking a break wouldn't do so much harm. They were now seating in the Great Hall and had just finished dinner. He glanced down at Hermione, nervous about asking her. Just as he had worked up his courage and was about to bend down and whisper to her if she wanted to sneak over to the Room of Requirement, she rose from her chair and said, "Well I think I'm going to the library… I want to get as much of a head start on all the classes that I can this weekend." She kissed him on the cheek and he watched her march off feeling a little disappointed that she didn't think of spending time with him now when they both were free.

"You ok mate?" Ron looked at Harry who was sitting across from him just finishing his last bite of treacle tart. Oh well, at least he was going to see her tonight as it was the weekend and he had finished all his homework.

"Yeah, let's head for a fly."

"Again? Can't we take an evening off?"

"Just because you can go years without flying and still look like you've lived on a broom all that time doesn't mean everyone can."

They had Accio their brooms and headed out to the pitch. Ron's broom wasn't as fast as Harry's, but he always loved to feel the wind hitting his face when he went at its full speed. He and Harry flew around a couple of laps before they started to use the balls. Ron and Ginny, who usually went with them as she was gonna try out as chaser, used to help and give each other feedback as Harry let out the snitch to chase it around the pitch. But since she was inside studying, Harry now had to act as chaser as Ron needed someone to throw the quaffle at him. And even though Harry wasn't as good as Ginny, Ron felt pretty good as he caught every one of them.

"Well, you are certainly getting your skills back. Your broom riding is really coming up. I don't think you'll have any problem keeping the keeper position." Harry said as he stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his hips and one he had to dry his hair. Ron had already dried his and got his clothes on.

"Thanks mate… really appreciate that. Now come on and put some clothes on, I want to get back to the castle before it gets dark." Ron waited for Harry to get dressed for about ten minutes and then they both headed back to the castle with their brooms over their shoulders. Ron stopped in the middle of the moving stairs and said,

"Hey Harry, can you take up my broom? I want to go and see if Hermione is still in the library."

"Sure, don't snog her too long though as the curfew is nearing." Harry said as he tried but failed miserably at holding in his laugh.

"Ha ha, I'm just gonna get her away from the library as she surely has forgotten the time and will be there through the whole night if no one comes and brings her back to the world." He gave his broom to Harry and walked back down to the second floor where the library was. He spotted her at her usual table in the corner. She probably had every book in all the subjects she took on the table. She had one opened in front of her which she read a few lines from just to turn and write something from it down on a piece of parchment.

She hadn't seen him yet so he took his chance to study her profile from where he stood in the middle of the library. She was biting her lower lip in concentration like she always did when she was deeply in thought. Her eyes were darting through the lines, frowning when she didn't understand or didn't find an answer right away. But they always lighted up again as she got it and a small smile always crept up on her lips when she wrote it down. Truth be told, he always wanted to kiss her every time that happened.

"What are you staring at?" He looked up from her lips to her eyes who were amusingly staring back at him. His ears got a bit pink because she had caught him studying her so he decided to make her blush as well.

"At something really beautiful." It worked, her cheeks reddened and she turned back to her book with a smile. He went over to her and sat in the chair on the other side of the table. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to study with you? I could never concentrate on my work when you were there biting your lip. I just wanted to save it from bleeding between your teeth by kissing you. But I was always so afraid you would slap me and say that we never could be friends again because I humiliated you in public."

"I wouldn't have slapped you; I would've kissed you back and never let you go even though we were in public."

"You sure? You wouldn't be angry at me because I disturbed you in your studies or something like that?" He smiled smugly and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh ha- ha very funny, you prat." He just chuckled and leaned over the table to kiss her on her lips.

"Ron… I said no snogging in the library." She said even though she had closed her eyes and kissed him back.

"Yes I know, but I'm not snogging you, I'm kissing you and you said nothing about that, so I can do this when... _kiss_... ever... _kiss_... I... _kiss_... want!" He backed away to see and smile at her dazed look.

"Oh you are a smug prat now, tricking an innocent girl into breaking her own rules." She said as she came back from her far off land.

"Innocent? My love, you are not so innocent anymore from what you did to me the first evening back." Hermione blushed but smiled even wider at him. "But you are right that we shouldn't be kissing in here right now as we have about half an hour until curfew." They both got up and packed Hermione's books into her bag which Ron slung over his shoulder. Hermione linked her arm in his free one and together they started to head up to the seventh floor.

They found Harry sitting in the best chair by the fire with Ginny on the couch playing chess with his chess set. Ron dumped Hermione's schoolbag on the floor beside the only empty chair that he then sat down in. He thought Hermione would sit on the couch with Ginny, but instead she sat down in his lap, with her legs up on the arm of the chair and her head resting on his shoulder. He put his arms around her to hug but also to prevent her from falling down on the floor.

"Harry, even if I sat up in our dorm, I could still see how Ginny's about to take your Queen in two moves." Hermione chuckled with him. After studying the board more closely, Harry finally discovered how she was gonna take his Queen and chanced his tactic.

"Thanks mate!"

"Ron! You are not allowed to help! Now I have to get a whole new strategy."

"Just wanted to make the game a little bit more interesting since I know you'll beat him. He hasn't gotten any better since first year." Harry gave him the finger which just earned him a kick on his knee from Hermione. They all laughed but when Harry clutched his scar in pain instead of his knee, everyone stopped.

"What is it Harry? What's happening? Are you all right?" They all asked at once but Harry just put up a hand to quiet them down while his pain went away.

"He's frustrated over something, I don't know over what. That's all I got, damn it." Harry abandoned his seat to pace back and forth in front of the fire. "I haven't gotten anything since the attack on Diagon Alley, and now all I got is this." Ron felt Hermione's head leave his shoulder as she leaned forward. He knew exactly what she was gonna say so he quickly grabbed her shoulders and leaned her back again and whispered in her ear.

"No don't, you know he's not gonna listen and you are just gonna get into an unnecessary fight that's not gonna lead anywhere but both you and Harry getting hurt." He saw the anger at Harry turn to him but she sat back anyway as she crossed her arms and didn't look at him. He put his arms around her and untangled hers so he could lay his on her stomach and kissed her cheek. "You know I'm right but will you stop being angry at me if I promise that I will talk to him before he goes to sleep?" Her face softened and after a second or two she turned around and pecked him on his lips.

"He's planning something big… I just know it. And he's controlling his emotions so I can't see anything and therefore we can't figure out his plan. What can he be frustrated about, is it about that thing he wanted from Diagon Alley, has he already got it, what is it… or is it something else? He's not letting me get one damn thing!" Harry slumped down in his chair again with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

"You're right Harry; we don't have enough to go on so let's not fret about it right now." Hermione said in a not so kindly voice, yet tried to be civil towards Harry. After a minute, Harry put up his head.

"I'm heading to bed." He got up and headed for the stairs.

"Are you alright Harry?" Ginny called after him.

"Fine." He said just before he disappeared. Hermione turned to him.

"You better go up to him now before he goes to bed."

"Ok." He kissed her and then whispered, "You can come a little earlier than last time; the others had been out like a light for more than an hour last time."

"Alright, I'll come when Lavender and Parvati's asleep." She whispered back.

"Good night." He said.

"Good night." She kissed him before they both got up.

"Night, creepy sister."

"Night pig of a brother." When Ron got up to his dorm, he saw Harry sitting on his bed staring straight ahead.

"You sure you're all right mate?" Ron said when he got in and closed the door. He took off his robe, tie, and shirt and took out his pyjamas and changed into them.

"Yeah I'm fine; I'm just so frustrated that I'm not getting anything. I know that he's planning something… something really big. That's why he's so careful to not let anything slip."

"I know, but Hermione's right, we can't go around and just guess right now. It will only get us angry at each other. You know I saved you from Hermione down there?"

"Yeah I know, thanks for that by the way. But don't you think it's good that I have this power? I never would have seen your dad get hurt if I didn't have it."

"Though I'm glad you saved my dad and will always be grateful to you for that, I don't think it's good that you have this power. I'm not saying that it's your fault, because all of this is really You-Know-Who's fault. I'm just saying if you had mastered Occlumency, he wouldn't have been able to trick us into the Department of Mysteries last year." Harry looked away ashamed. "But I also think that it's necessary that you still get the visions so we can try and figure out You-Know-Who's plan."

"So what do you think I should do?" Harry said angrily and stood up. "I'm certainly not going to humiliate myself by going back to Snape begging him to take me back and teach me Occlumency. And I would not be able to see what Voldemort is up to if I learned it, but if I don't, he can only try to trick me again. So what do you think I should do, huh? Tell me!"

"Ok first, I think you should calm down." Ron said and waited for Harry to breathe more calmly and sit back down again on his bed. "Second, I think you should talk to Dumbledore about this. Maybe he has some idea of what we should do."

"Dumbledore? All he did last year were mistakes. And pretty big ones at that."

"He's just a human Harry and all humans makes mistakes, some bigger than others. You can't do this alone Harry, we can't do this alone." Harry was looking down at his joined hands and floor as he was leaned over. They both sat in silence, but after a couple of minutes Harry spoke.

"I will go to Dumbledore tomorrow when you have your detention with Snape. But if he doesn't have a good idea about this, I won't try to block my visions anymore."

"Thank you mate." That was when Seamus, Dean and Neville entered the dorm and Ron headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

His curtains around his bed were drawn apart when all in his dorm had been asleep for about twenty minutes. A smiling Hermione stood there in her bathrobe, but as soon as she looked at him she frowned. She climbed in and put her spell on the drape after she closed them again.

"Why do you have your pj top on?" she said when she turned around to him again.

"Well it's starting to get a little colder so I put it on so I wouldn't freeze, why?" But she didn't answer, she just started to unbutton his pj top and when she was done she hovered over him and kissed him.

"I'll keep you warm." She said between kisses. Ron untied her bathrobe and took it off her just to toss it to the end of the bed. The kiss grew more passionately; Hermione had straddled him and was now sitting on his stomach with each of her legs on his sides. Hermione was wearing a nightgown with a little bear that was reaching to the middle of her thighs. Ron put his big hands on her thighs and slipped under her nightgown up to her stomach where he started to rub small circles. It earned him a moan and he felt her tongue asking for permission to enter his mouth. Of course, it was granted. She ran her hands up and down his chest as their tongues battled each other.

Ron's hands started to wander higher, but before he reached the hem of her breasts, she let go of his mouth and backed up to a sitting position. Before he had a chance to ask what the problem was, he saw her take a deep breath before she rose on her knees and took the end of her nightgown and lifted it over her head and tossed it together with her bathrobe. Ron could almost not believe that Hermione Granger was sitting on him… in his bed… at night… with nothing but her knickers on. Ron's eyes and hands wandered down her beautiful body and stopped at her beautiful soft round breasts that he would never get enough of. She let out a moan when he stroked and pinched her nipples. His hands stopped there, but his eyes went down to her knickers.

This was the only part of Hermione he hadn't seen yet. When he had discovered what sex was, he had actually borrowed a book on the subject from the library. He had immediately closed the book and thrown it away for a couple of days when he caught himself thinking of Hermione when he read the part of how to satisfy a woman. Really, he didn't know then that he was in love with her. But after a while he accepted that he was always thinking about her every time he opened the book, though he still didn't understand why and it soon lead to a point where he started to wank at the image of him doing that stuff to her.

"Not yet, Ron." He looked up to her face again; she must have caught him staring at her down there. It was ok that she wasn't ready for that yet as that only allowed him some more time to read up on the subject again. He figured after doing more reading, he could make her satisfied like he had this summer. He moved his hands to her waist and flipped them over so he was hovering over her. He kissed her lips for a moment before he started to wander a path down her neck and eventually to her right breast. She was making small whimpers the whole way and when he took her nipple into his mouth, she moaned out loud.

"Oh Ron." He was thankful for the silencing spell she had cast around his bed, as her moans and whimpers grew louder the longer he sucked and massaged her breasts. Ron noticed that Hermione's body was squirming under his and it wasn't long before their lower parts were rubbing against each other with only the fabric of his underwear, pj pants and her knickers separating them. Ron understood that she was about to come, but he was closer so he decided to try something and see if it would help her on the way. He gently bit down on one of her nipples and immediately felt her shudder beneath him; he soon followed almost falling on top of her, but caught himself on his elbows.

After getting back his breath a little, he rolled over to his back. She soon turned to him and kissed him softly for a couple of seconds before she broke away again and said,

"That was amazing."

"Totally amazing." They looked at each other with lazy eyes and kissed each other once more before Hermione put down her head on his chest, her naked upper body pressed against his side and her hand drawing lazy circles on his chest. As he placed his arms around her, Hermione spoke up.

"Did you talk with Harry?" She asked.

"Yes and I convinced him to at least go to Dumbledore tomorrow to see what he could do about his visions. But if Dumbledore only suggests Occlumency, Harry's not going to take it because he wants to know what You-know-who is up to." Hermione was silent for a while before she said,

"Oh well, I don't think we can change his mind about that. At least he will talk to Dumbledore about it." She turned her head to look at him. "Thank you for talking to him." She kissed his jaw and went back to lie on his chest.

"You're welcome. Now can we please stop talking about Harry? I don't like hearing another guy's name when you're laying here half naked against me." Hermione giggled and snuggled up more against him.

"Good night, I love you." She said.

"Good night, I love you too." Soon, they were both asleep.

Ron had been happy from the time he woke up and saw a half naked Hermione snuggled up against him sleeping. After she woke up and some intense snogging, Hermione had to head back to her dorm before anyone else woke up.

Later in the day since both Harry and Ginny hadn't finished their homework, Ron asked Hermione if she wanted to enjoy the last of the summer weather and go for a walk around the lake. They strolled together hand in hand, talking about nothing in particular and just stopping for a quick snog.

But he wasn't so happy anymore as he stood outside Snape's office waiting to come in for his detention. He had no idea what he was about to do, but he was sure it was something nasty. Eventually the door opened and Snape stood there looking as grim as ever. He didn't say anything when he saw him; he just stepped out of the way to let Ron in. To Ron's surprise, Snape wasn't the only professor in the office. Professor McGonagall was sitting on a chair in front of Snape's desk, beside her, an empty chair.

"Good evening Mr Weasley, please have a seat." Ron did as she asked and sat down beside her as Snape took his seat behind his desk. "I can understand if you are wondering why I'm here."

"A little bit yes, Professor."

"I am here with Professor Snape to tell you that this is not an ordinary detention… well, it is not even a detention. This… Mr Weasley… is a lesson… an extra lesson."

"A-am I getting low grades in something?" He stuttered.

"No Mr Weasley, please let me explain without interruption. Apparently you are too deeply involved in this upcoming dark world so Professor Dumbledore has asked us and Professor Tonks to give you, Mr Potter and Miss Granger extra lessons to prepare you for it."

"Oh, so this means that we will get many "detentions" then?"

"Yes it does."

"Does that mean we have to make some trouble in the classroom?" Ron smiled hopefully, already planning what he would do to Malfoy. He heard Professor McGonagall sigh.

"Yes it does… but I forbid you to harm any other student Mr Weasley." He nodded in agreement; she didn't say anything about humiliating another student.

"Good. As I said me, Professor Snape and Professor Tonks will be teaching you more advanced things on the subject we teach. You will start with Potions tonight and next week you all will be with me so be sure to inform Mr Potter and Miss Granger that you need to do something during the next lesson so I can give you all detention."

"All right, when will we have our lesson with Tonks then?" He asked.

"_Professor_ Tonks, Mr Weasley… and you will notice when your lesson is with her." McGonagall said and then stood up from her chair. "Now, I will leave you to your lesson as I am sure you don't want to be here all night. Good night to you both. Oh and Mr Weasley, you cannot tell anyone but Mr Potter and Miss Granger about this, understood?"

"Yes Professor." He said. With that she left them and Ron turned to Snape for the first time since he sat down.

"I have no idea how you got an O in this subject on your OWLs as you've never done anything worth more than an A in this classroom. I hope you don't waste my time." Snape said and started the fire under one of his cauldrons.

Ron thought that if this would help them defeat You-Know-Who, then he definitely wouldn't waste anyone's time.

Ron was exhausted. It was well past midnight when he was let out of Snape's office. He had to make three different potions. The first one was the _Wound-Cleaning Potion_ like the one Madam Pomfrey had used on Harry after the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. Second, was the Essence of Dittany and the last one he made was an antidote for _Antidote to Uncommon Potions _in case one of them just happened to be poisoned by it. The three potions weren't so high on the advanced list and they had made them before in class, but Snape had said that these were the three best potions to carry with you in dark times.

Snape had been a real pain in the ass the whole time. Ron had lost count of how many times Snape had said he was useless in Potions every time he was about to do something wrong. Ron was ready to punch him at the end, but he held himself back.

When Ron's Auror had accompanied him from the dungeons up to the seventh floor, he left him and Ron climbed in through the portrait hole and headed straight up to his bed. That plan changed though when he saw his sister sleeping on her homework at the table in one of the corners. He went over to her and started to shake her shoulder.

"Ginny… it's time to wake up and go to your bed."

"Uh… five more minutes mum." She said and just turned to lay on her other cheek.

"Well, I'm certainly not our mother but you have to get up anyway." Ginny lifted her head off the table with her homework stuck on her face. He laughed at her as she angrily put it back down again.

"Oh bloody hell; the ink is all smeared. I have to write it all over again." Ron sat down in the empty chair across from her.

"What subject is it? Maybe I can help."

"Sorry, its Muggle Studies… which you didn't take. And I had already finished it and I know what I wrote… just need to rewrite it."

"Ok."

"Why are you up anyway?" She asked without looking up from her essay.

"Oh, I just got back from detention with Snape."

"What did he make you do?" She still didn't look up.

"Oh you know the usual-cleaning cauldrons, sorting ingredients." Snape had told him to tell anyone who asked that he just did the usual stuff Snape made people do during his detentions.

"All right." Then she looked up at him with excitement written all over her face."Hey, what are you getting Hermione for her birthday?" Ron raised one of his eyebrows in shock.

"How did it go from detention with Snape to what I'm giving Hermione for her birthday?" Ginny just smirked. The problem was though that he had nothing excited to share. He didn't have any money so he couldn't buy her anything; her birthday is on a Wednesday so he couldn't take her out for a lunch picnic on the grounds as they had school and it was still over a month until the first Hogsmeade weekend. He really didn't have any idea what to do. He hung his head in shame before he answered her.

"I-I'm not getting her anything." He didn't dare look up at her to see her disappointment in him.

"What?" He could see the anger in her eyes. He put his face in his hands and started to run and tug them in his hair.

"Well what should I do? I don't have any money as I gave it all back to mum and dad so they could fix the Burrow; I can't take her anywhere as we are in Hogwarts and her birthday is on a Wednesday. I'm the worst boyfriend ever." He dropped his forehead against the table. But that's when he got it; he knew exactly what he was gonna do. It wasn't much, but at least he didn't come up empty handed for her first birthday together. He lifted his head and smiled at Ginny. "I know what I'm gonna do."

"What?" She asked.

"Oh no! I'm not gonna tell you… I know that if I do, Hermione will know about it before she wakes up tomorrow." He said and got up from his chair and started to head for the stairs.

"Hey! I can keep a secret." She called after him.

"Not telling you sister."

"Oh please Ron!"

"Good night Ginny." He headed up to his dorm to find his curtains closed. He opened them and smiled as he found a sleeping Hermione in his bed, hugging his pillow. He dressed in his pyjamas and crawled in beside her. She immediately let go of his pillow and hugged him instead, still sleeping. He looked down at her, thinking of how he would plan her birthday. The first thing he would do would be to visit a friend and ask him for a little help.

**AN: Come on I want to know what all of you think about the story so far! =)**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and tell me what you thought of it to.**

**Thanks to my Beta!**

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	16. Quidditch tryouts and Lesson two

**AN: ****Two chapters in one day. Sorry but don't get used to that ;) **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 16: Quidditch Try-Outs and Lesson Two

Ron woke up really early the following Saturday. Today were the Quidditch tryouts and he was just as nervous as he had been last year. Even though he had trained every night the previous week and he had gotten back most of his skill, he was still afraid that there would be someone new from second year that was much better than him. He looked down at Hermione who lay snuggled up to him. She had noticed his nerves last night and had done her best to make him forget them for a moment. In Ron's opinion, she had done it brilliantly.

He thought of how he had told her when she woke up the morning after his "detention" that it wasn't really a detention, but that he, she, and Harry would take more advanced lessons in Potions, Transfigurations and DADA. She had been really excited, but it faded a little when he told her that they had to make some trouble in class to get their "detentions". Ron had just laughed when she told him that she didn't know if she could cause trouble on purpose during class. First she scowled at him as he laughed, but cheered up considerably when he said that she could hex Pansy in Potions to get her detention.

Later that morning, they had met up with Harry and told him about it too, as he in return told them about the meeting he had had with Dumbledore. Harry told them that Dumbledore had maybe figured out a solution over the summer, as he understood that Occlumency wasn't Harry's thing. He said that with some special meditation, he was almost positive that Harry would be able to feel if his visions were fake or real. Honestly, he couldn't be sure of this method's effectiveness until Harry had had a few lessons in it. Dumbledore had actually intended to call Harry for his first lesson this Thursday, but decided that he would have it that night. To make things more consistent, he would continue to have the lessons on Thursday evenings in the future.

Harry had not been excited about the extra lessons in the other subjects though as now he would have lessons with Dumbledore, Quidditch practise and homework. He thought all this extra work would be a little too much for him in the evenings. But nonetheless, he, Ron and Hermione caused a little riot as Ron had smuggled in one of Fred and George's small firework box and fired it off in the middle of their Wednesday class. McGonagall had said that she didn't know which one of the three had set it off, so all of them got detention this Saturday.

But Ron wasn't thinking about the Advanced Transfiguration lesson they would have later. He was thinking of who else would be trying out as Gryffindor's Keeper today. Last year, there had only been two who had tried out for it-one was himself and the other a third year named Dustin Walker who was now a fourth year. He hadn't been good, saving only one out of five shots and that had only been because he accidentally saved it with his head when he almost fell off his broom. He would probably not return this time as Ron hadn't seen him practise and he clearly needed more than a year of training to get caught up.

The main ones he was worried about were two boys in fourth year that he had seen practising here some nights when he, Harry and Ginny were here. He didn't know their names, but he could see that they were pretty good at catching the Quaffle. The only skill they needed to improve was their flying. Ron sighed as he lay there in his bed; all he could do was to focus on catching all five shots that would be thrown at him. The only thing he figured that would take him off the position then would be if someone did it more gracefully.

He felt Hermione moving beside him and before he knew it, she was leaning over him and kissing his lips.

"You're gonna be brilliant today." She stated when she broke away but stayed hovering over him.

"Are you gonna come down and watch today?" He asked her as she started to run her fingers through his hair.

"No." He felt disappointment sink like a rock in his stomach. "I'm going to go down there and cheer you on like a crazy, supporting girlfriend." He chuckled at her words and immediately felt the rock disappear. They kissed some more before Hermione had to head back to her bed as Ron knew that he wouldn't get any more sleep, so he too, started to get ready for the day.

Hermione forced him to eat a really big breakfast as she said that he needed to keep his energy up even though he didn't want anything as he was too nervous for food. At 9:30am, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny started to head down to the pitch so they could change into their Quidditch uniforms before 10 o'clock when the try-outs would start. Hermione hugged Ginny to wish her luck and then turned to Ron, kissed him deeply and said that she wouldn't wish him luck as he didn't need it before heading for the stands.

Ron, Harry and Ginny got changed and headed out to the pitch with their brooms on their shoulders. It was gonna be a beautiful day for Quidditch, even though it was a bit chilly. The sun would make it warmer soon and they would be warmed up when they had flown a couple of laps around the pitch. Ron could make out Hermione at the top of one of the Gryffindor stands. She waved at him when she noticed that he was watching her. He smiled and waved back before he mounted his broom and took off to continue his warm ups.

When it was close to ten, Ron looked down and saw that there were a lot of people down there supporting him, which meant a lot. Harry was standing there apparently trying to get them all organised, but he seemed to have a bit of a difficulty with that so Ron decided to get down and help him. When he got down, he saw that most of the students were thirteen and fourteen year old girls from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff who were giggling and pointing at Harry as he apparently had a pretty large girl fan group.

"Ok listen up people!" Ron roared over the giggling girls. "I'm a Prefect and I suggest that all of you who are not from Gryffindor or who aren't here to try out for any Quidditch position get out of here before I take away points from your house." All the girls groaned at him and were surprised when even a few of the Gryffindor girls, that he actually thought would try out, left too.

"Thanks mate." Harry said and clapped him on his back before he turned to the ones who would try out. "Now let's get started. I'm Harry Potter and I'm Gryffindor's Quidditch captain this year. Let's get you all in groups. You, all who will try out for Chasers, go a little bit to the left. Keepers stay in the middle and Beaters to the right." Ron went over to the middle to the two fourth years and to his surprise, he saw Dustin Walker.

"We will begin with the Beaters." Harry motioned to the four who were trying out. Seamus was one of them. "As you probably know there are two Beaters on each team so two of you will get the positions. All who are trying out for Chaser will be getting a Quaffle as you will try and get them to drop it by hitting the Bludger towards them. So Chasers get a Quaffle and get into the air now!" The five Chasers trying out, including Ginny, Katie Bell and even Dean Thomas, did as Harry commanded them. "Beaters get up and do your thing, now!" After twenty minutes, Harry had seen enough and called them down. He immediately gave the positions to Seamus, who had a good aim and was flying pretty well, and to a guy named Jack Sloper who also had a good aim but his flying could still improve.

"We will take the Chasers and Keepers at the same time. The Chasers will start at the end of the pitch and show me your flying skills as Seamus and Sloper will hit Bludgers at you. You will each get one shot at each Keeper." Harry pointed at one of the fourth years to get up and guard the three rings. Unfortunately, due to the lack of his flying skills, he only managed to catch two out of five shots. The three that he missed came from Ginny, Katie and Dean which Ron thought were the best of the five Chasers as they dodged the Bludgers very gracefully. The second fourth year did just as poorly due to the same trio Chasers.

"Ron, you're up next." Ron could feel his nerves attack him with full force but he got up on his broom anyway. When he positioned himself in front of the goals, he could hear a small cheering and "GO RON!" from the stands as he saw that Hermione had been joined with Luna and Neville. They would cheer for him every time he caught the Quaffle. Ron forced a smile at them, but then just got back to his focus and his nerves.

"_Ok Weasley you've done this before, you can do this again. Just focus on the Chaser. Focus_!" The first one was a small second year girl who almost dropped the Quaffle every time a Bludger passed her. Ron caught it with ease as she was looking at the right goal from the moment she started. The second one was a girl from third year and she did the same except that she aimed for the middle ring.

Now it was Dean's turn, he had made all his shots so far but Ron had seen that he always seemed to aim for one ring but always shot it at another. He didn't do it differently this time and Ron was fully prepared for it when he seemed to aim on the right ring but shot at the left. Ron had to stretch out a little to reach it, but he caught it nonetheless. Ginny was extremely good- she was fast, she dodged the Bludger very gracefully and almost didn't show where she aimed. Fortunately she was his sister and he had helped train her when they were little so he knew all her tricks. He boxed the Quaffle away from the left ring.

Now it was only Katie left and she was by far the best one to score on him. She had so much speed that the Beaters barely had time to hit the Bludgers before she flew past them. Ron was in the middle of the goals and he saw her arm aim for the right ring but just as she threw it, she changed directions with her fingers so the Quaffle was heading towards the middle one. Ron had to hit the brakes and throw himself in the other direction so he could get the Quaffle away with his fingers. Ron landed hard on the ground.

"Are you all right Ron?" Harry shouted from his broom.

"Yes, yes I'm fine." He looked over to the stands and saw Hermione leaning over the edge with a worried look on her face. He gave a thumbs up to show her that he was all right. She nodded at him and went back to her seat.

"Good. By the way, that was really great, mate." Harry said before he flew off. "Ok Walker, you're the last one up."

Ron walked over to the others and as Ron thought about Dustin's try-out last year, he felt like he had the position for one more year. That was until he saw how much he had improved over the last year.

Dustin looked almost bored there in front of the goals as he just started to clean his nails when the second year girl started from the other side of the pitch. Dustin had caught it almost as soon as it left her hand, the same on the second shot. On the third shot from Dean, he got up on his hands and caught the Quaffle with his feet. On Ginny's shot, he lay on his back and just reached one hand in the air looking as if the Quaffle was drawn to it. On the last shot from Katie, he did a loop in the air before he caught it easily, yawning at the attempt.

Everyone was starting at Dustin in shock as he landed a bit from where the other Keepers stood. Harry and the rest of them landed too, and Harry didn't meet Ron's eyes when he tried to catch them as Ron already knew why.

"Well then, let's announce the... the new team. Seamus and Sloper are Beaters. Ginny, Katie and Dean are Chasers and..." Harry finally looked up at him with the word 'sorry' written over his face as his voice was filled with regret when he said. "...and as Keeper, Dustin Walker."

Hermione was standing outside the boy's locker room waiting for Ron and Harry to come out. Well she was waiting more for Harry to beat him up; she didn't understand why Ron didn't get to be Keeper as he had caught all five shots too.

When she had seen that Walker boy cheer with the rest of the new team, she also noticed that Ron was looking heartbroken and disappointed in himself. He stood there and nodded at Harry who was speaking to him as Hermione had just wanted to jump down from the stands onto the pitch and rush over to hug him. But she didn't do that as she surely would have broken some bones.

The door opened and Harry stepped out, but there was no Ron following him. "You can get in if you want, there is no one but Ron left and I think he needs you right now." He said when he saw her.

"Can't you do something?" She asked him feeling anger rise up in her veins.

"I'm sorry but I have to do what is best for the team and Ron wasn't the best Keeper up there today." With that he walked off. Hermione still didn't understand what he based that judgment. She thought Ron had done brilliantly, especially on that last save. But when she got in there, she knew Ron would think the opposite. She took a deep breath and walked inside.

She immediately spotted him as he sat on the bench, still wearing his Quidditch gear. He didn't look up when she walked past and sat down next to him. She took one of his hands in both of hers and started to stroke it. They were silent for many minutes as she wanted him to speak first to let her know when he was ready to talk about it. She didn't let go of his hand even though he tried to bend it away and tried to shrug her away when she put her head on his shoulder, but she would have none of it. He gave up pretty quickly and they were silent for a couple of more minutes before he spoke.

"I guess I needed that good luck after all." She knew that he was referring to the fact that she hadn't wished him good luck outside before they started since she knew he didn't need it. She got up from her seat and pushed Ron back a little so she could sit on his lap. She put her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.

"I still can't understand why he was chosen over you. You caught the Quaffle just as many times as he did." She said.

"He got the spot because he caught it more easily than I did. Hell, I've never seen anyone but professional Quidditch players fly like he did. And the worst is that he learned it in a year."

"He tried out last year?"

"Yes and he only got one- how the hell did he learn all that in one year?" He put his head down on her shoulder looking defeated. She stroked his hair and tried to comfort him by whispering comforting words. She thought he was brilliant, that it was an unfair way to settle for which one who would get the position if they both saved the goals the same amount of times. She really thought that if they saved the same amount of shots, they should continue until one of them missed. She mentioned this to Ron but he just shrugged his shoulders at it. Maybe he just needed a couple of days to take it all in and she would be there to help him realise that she still loved him whether he was Keeper or not.

She eventually got him to take a shower and change into his normal clothes. She didn't let go of his hand the whole day. When they got back to the castle and met up with Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna at lunch, Hermione gave angry stares towards Harry, but Ron said to her that it wasn't Harry's fault. He did only what was best for the team. But Hermione still refused to talk to him during the whole lunch.

After lunch Luna bid them good bye as they headed up to the Gryffindor tower and Ginny asked Ron if he wanted to play a game of chess, clearly trying to cheer him up and not talk about Quidditch. But he denied her request and just went to sit down on the couch and closed his eyes as he leaned his head back. Hermione sat down in his lap again and laid her head on his chest. She was glad when she felt his arms sneak around her back to hold her close. Maybe he understood now that she wouldn't leave him for this, even though he didn't make it as Keeper.

Harry, Ginny and Neville decided to get a game of Exploding Snaps started but Hermione didn't pay them much attention since she was more focused on the little whimpering noises Ron made as she drew small circles on his back. She knew he wasn't asleep as his breathing wasn't that deep like it usually is when she sometimes woke up earlier than him and listened to him breathing.

Hermione drifted off to sleep for a while and was later woken by Ron who announced that dinner was closing in. She asked him to wait for her as she walked to her dorm to freshen up. At dinner, Ron was as down as he had been all day and just played around with his food. And although his eating habits were horrible and something she would always nag him about, Hermione caught herself being quiet about it as it was the one thing that represented her Ron.

After dinner she, Ron, and Harry excused themselves as they had their "detention" with McGonagall. Hermione still didn't let go of his hand, which she had held throughout the whole dinner, as they walked down the hallways. She wouldn't let him push her away. They didn't have to wait long outside McGonagall's office before she opened her door to let them inside her office.

"Good evening to you all, especially to you Miss Granger and Mr Potter. I expect Mr Weasley has told you that this would not be a detention, but lessons…advanced lessons." She said as she sat down behind her desk. Hermione and Harry nodded.

"Good. But before we start I would like to hear about the Quidditch try-outs Mr Potter."

"Oh... eh."

'_Oh no'_ Hermione thought to herself._ 'Why did she have to bring it up now?' _Both Hermione and Harry looked over to Ron with worried minds. Both were surprised though when Ron said,

"Harry did a brilliant job and found some really good players this year." Hermione put her free hand on his arm. "And Dustin Walker was much better than I was, Harry. Everyone would understand that you just picked me because I'm your friend and no one would respect you as a captain if you did. So stop blaming yourself." Hermione squeezed his hand to say that he couldn't break down now. He had to wait after the lesson.

"Are you sure Dustin Walker is the right one for the Keeper position Mr Potter? I never thought he had the body for that."

"Y-yes I'm sure. Sorry Ron." Harry said to him. Ron just nodded and seemed to calm down a little, but was holding a little too hard onto Hermione's hand, not minding the pressure he was putting.

"I am very sorry to hear that you are not on the team this year, Mr Weasley." Ron nodded to her too. "Now let's start with the first lesson… please have a seat. She conjured three chairs out of thin air and put them in front of her desk for them to sit. "This won't be like the Potions or the Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons that you will have where you will learn quite a few new things. No, here you will only learn to do one thing, and that is how to become an Animagi or Animagus if you want." All three of them let out a gasp. What? Did McGonagall just say that they would become an Animagus? She couldn't believe it! She wondered what animal she would transform into. She was so excited.

It looked like Ron was excited too, as he had brightened up quite a bit. "W-we're really gonna learn how to turn in to an animal?" He asked.

"I am sorry Mr Weasley that you didn't understand what I just said. I was under the impression that you learned about Animagi in your third year." McGonagall looked at him over her glasses and he blushed at her question. Hermione decided to save him.

"Are we going to get registered at the Ministry when we have mastered it?" She asked the Professor.

"As we want to keep all of this a secret then the answer is no, you will not be registered as being a full Animagus."

"May I ask why we should become an Animagus, Professor?" Harry asked.

"Most animals have better senses than humans have, like their vision, smell and hearing. And Professor Dumbledore thought that it would be good for all of you to have this power in the upcoming future. He also thought that if you would transform to, let's just say a dangerous animal, it would maybe be a plus if you would ever get in a fight with Death Eaters. Also, an animal can take a couple of spells without being affected and a bigger animal means more spells."

McGonagall sat up a little straighter in her chair and took off her hat. Hermione saw fur starting to grow around her eyes and started to shrink. Soon, there was a grey speckle cat sitting on the chair that their Professor had just been sitting. After a couple of minutes she transformed back to her old self.

"Now let's begin the lesson. It usually takes years to become an Animagus and we certainly don't have that kind of time. There are two things you need to learn to become an Animagus. The first one is a very difficult spell and the other is self-transforming. We will start with the first spell and get to the Self-Transforming spell in a couple of months. I need you to promise me that the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is that you will think of the spell or say it out loud if you are sure no one hears you; after, do the wand movements without a wand in your hand. It will also be the last thing you do when you go to bed, and whenever you get a spare moment between that, you will go and practise it together. Is that understood?"

"Yes Professor." They all said in unison.

"Good. Now repeat after me _Ego Penitus Bestia_."

"_Ego Penitus Bestia." _They repeated.

"With a little bit more force on your vocals Mr Weasley, please." Ron had to repeat it again. "Good. That was the easy part, now to the wand movements." She did the most advanced movements with her wrists that Hermione had ever seen. All Hermione remembered from the first time she saw it was that McGonagall's wand had been pointing at herself. She had to repeat it three times for Hermione to even remember half of how it looked. Ron and Harry still sat there in shock as they watched McGonagall. Half an hour later, she stopped them as she thought they had learnt enough to practise it on their own.

"Well at least Miss Granger has learned it and I expect that she will help you two." She said. "If you see me, and see that no one is watching, you can do the wand movements and I will nod if it's right or shake my head if it is wrong." All three of them nodded towards Hermione.

"How long do you expect for it to be before we really transform Professor, if we do as you say and practise it every day." Hermione asked her.

"Well, we are hoping somewhere after Christmas. But if it takes the whole year then, so be it. But the faster you learn the better." Hermione nodded. "Well, I think that will be all for tonight. You don't need to cause any trouble in the next class as I will send for you when I think you are ready to show me how far you have come with the spell. Now, I bid you good night."

"Good night, Professor." They said and walked to the Gryffindor tower without saying a word.

Ron had clearly forgotten about the Quidditch try-outs for a moment when he had learned that they would learn how to become an Animagus. He had seemed more cheerful during the evening, but as Hermione opened his curtains to his bed she saw that the solemn, sad face had returned. His usual spark of mischief in his eyes was nowhere to be seen. Hermione would do anything to get it back as she started to miss it really badly. But she had no idea what she could do except for breaking all the bones in Walker's body. No. She wouldn't do that so she tried to distract him from it again when she was safe and sound beneath his covers, snuggled up to him in her now usual way.

"So, it will be really cool to learn how to become an Animagus, huh?" She said.

"Mmm." Was all she got for an answer. She stroked his chest and felt his soft chest hair glide through her fingers.

"I wonder what I will transform into. Maybe into some kind of a bird?"

"Mmm." He just said again.

"What do you think you will become?" She asked looking up at him. He just shrugged and she started to become worried. She rose on her elbows and looked down at him. "Ron." He met her eyes. "Are you gonna be ok?" At this he sighed and closed his eyes, but he was still looking at her when he opened them again.

"Yes my love, I'm gonna be fine. But I need to mope around for a bit."

"You know that I think you are brilliant." At this he blushed and a bit of the smile that she had missed for the most of the day was there again. "Because I do, and I thought you were both brilliant and very handsome up there today. I cheered for you like crazy like I'd promised."

"Yes, I could hear that." She smiled and kissed him softly on his lips.

"We should probably get some sleep now as it has been a quite long and hard day for us. We'll talk about the Animagus thing tomorrow. Let's do the spell once and then we'll sleep."

"Ok." Though Hermione had to correct Ron a few times on his movements, they made it through and Hermione laid her head back down on his chest.

"Good night, I love you." She said to him.

"Nite, love you too." He said and Hermione was asleep as soon as she closed her eyes, hugging tightly to the love of her life.

**AN: Oh I really want to know what you think about this! **

**I was so excited when I wrote this chapter even though it's rather awful against my favourite character.**

**What do you think about Dustin Walker? And how do you think he got those Quidditch skills just in one year?**

**Review your thoughts! =) **


	17. Hermione's Birthday

**AN: Hey it's finally here =) Sorry for the delay! **

Chapter 17: Hermione's Birthday.

Hermione had missed seeing his lopsided grin when he would lay his head back and just laugh out loud. She missed all his small jokes and witty comments he made during class or homework. They used to irritate her to death, but now she would give anything to hear one from him. But the one thing she missed the most was that he didn't try to take her for a spontaneous snog like he used to; or take her hand when they were walking down the corridors between classes. She just missed the little things he did.

Every now and then, she would catch him looking out the window towards the Quidditch pitch during class. Usually she would scold him for daydreaming in class, but when she saw the sad look he had on his face, she just put a hand on his knee to wake him and hold it there to comfort him as much as she could without the professors noticing. It was getting so bad that sometimes in classes, such as History of Magic, she could see him drawing a Quaffle or the three hoops.

She would also catch him looking at her with a sad face that often said sorry, like he thought she was disappointed in him for not making the team (even though she had told him a hundred times) that she wasn't. She didn't know why he couldn't get that into his head.

She had hoped his moping would have ended on Wednesday, her birthday, but it didn't seem like it would as he now sat across from her with the same sad look on his face. In fact it didn't seem like he had even remembered it as he hadn't wished her a happy birthday yet. This made her so angry at him that she didn't even say goodbye to him as she left to go to her Ancient Runes class. He didn't turn around when she stomped away but she understood that he must have looked confused and hurt that only Harry got a goodbye.

But she was too angry to care. How could you forget your girlfriend's birthday? Sure he had had some tough days; well actually, he had had it pretty tough ever since they came to Hogwarts. But it wasn't any different from other years and he had remembered her birthday then. Yes, it always looked like last minute presents wrapped in badly wrapped paper, but he would remember it at least. She thought it would be even more important now that they were together and she hoped that maybe he had bought his gift a little earlier. But apparently, she was totally wrong and so was Ginny.

_Hermione was waiting for Ron and Harry in Gryffindor's Common Room reading a book when Ginny came down._

"_Happy birthday, Hermione." She said and hugged her from behind the sofa before she walked around and sat down beside her, smiling while holding a wrapped present. It was a book about House Elves._

"_Oh thank you Ginny!" She said and hugged her._

"_Oh, it wasn't much." She shrugged. "So, has a certain brother of mine given you any hint for what he will give you today?" Hermione shook her head._

"_No, with the state he has been in since Saturday, he hasn't talked much at all."_

"_Well you can be sure that he's planning something." Ginny said and winked at her. But before Hermione had a chance to ask her if she had heard something, Harry came down and wished her a happy birthday, bearing a gift (another book). Hermione and Ginny stood up ready to go as they knew Ron wouldn't be too far behind. When he came down, Hermione smiled at him but it faded away as he just took a quick glance at her, looking even more miserable than before. Hermione raised her eyebrow towards Ginny, confusion written all over her face. Then she just shrugged and walked after Harry and Ron. _

He was so self- absorbed that he didn't even lift his head when Neville and Luna wished her a happy birthday. That was the final straw for Hermione, as she just had to get away from him before she started to cry. She ignored him and the others as she didn't want them to know how sad and disappointed she really was feeling. She didn't sit with them in any afternoon classes they had together and she got even angrier when Ron turned around to look at her with a face that said, _"I'm sorry for whatever I did."_ But she just snorted at him and turned away from him.

After all the classes were over for the day, she headed for the library as she knew that neither Ron nor Harry would be there. When she was done with all her homework, she looked at her watch and saw it was well after seven and dinner was over. _"Just as well." _She thought. _"I don't want to be in the same room with him."_ She had just gotten another book out when someone came up behind her.

"Why are you hiding down here?"

"You already know that answer Ginny." Hermione said without looking up from her book as Ginny came to stand in front of her.

"Well, I think you should go and see him." Hermione finally looked up at her and saw her smiling as if she knew something. Hermione studied her suspiciously wondering what she was up to.

"And why would I do that? He forgot my birthday for Merlin's sake!" She said angrily and apparently a little too loudly as Madame Pince gave her a hush.

"No… he didn't forget. I told you I was there when he got the idea for what he would do, although he didn't tell me then what it was."

"Y-you mean he has planned something? A-and you know now what it is?"

"Yes, now come on." Hermione sat in shock for a moment before she got up and followed Ginny out of the library. If he had remembered the whole time, why hadn't he said anything? He could just have walked over to her and said happy birthday to her and she wouldn't have given him the cold shoulder the whole day. God she felt kind of bad now for doing that; he had just lost something that was important to him only a couple of days ago, after all. Maybe it wouldn't have been so odd if he had forgotten, thinking logically for the first time in days.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Well, first we're gonna go back and get you out of those school robes and into something more "appealing". Ron asked me to just get you from the library but I'm not gonna let you two have your first date in _those_. So I told Ron that you both have to change before you'll meet in front of the Great Hall."

"The Great Hall-What could he have been planning in there?"

"He didn't actually say… but, I think he didn't eat dinner as he was off finishing the last touches. It was good that you didn't eat either."

"Oh." That was all that was able to out of Hermione's mouth, feeling rather confused and surprised. Although she was not sure what was happening, she now felt very excited about what he had prepared for them.

When they were up in her dorm, Ginny started to go through all her clothes and asked Hermione to try them on. She finally settled on the jumper with the deepest neckline she had (which still wasn't very deep according to Ginny); it was purple with long sleeves as it was pretty chilly in the castle. Along with that jumper, came her dark blue jeans and a necklace she borrowed from Ginny.

"You look beautiful. Do you want to do something with your hair or are you satisfied?" Ginny said as both she and Hermione stood in front of the mirror.

"Ron likes my hair down, so I think I'm satisfied." Hermione smiled at Ginny through the mirror.

"Oh who would ever think that Hermione Granger would actually take all this time to look pretty for some boy?" Ginny sniggered to herself.

"Oh, be quiet you." Hermione said and smacked her on her shoulder. "And this isn't some boy; this is your brother… that I'm in love with." At this Ginny made a gagging noise.

"I can't understand what you see in him, Hermione. Whenever I'm talking to him, he acts like a prat. But as long as you are happy, then that is all that matters." Hermione smiled at her.

"Thank you for this."

"You're welcome. Even though he acts like I prat, I prefer _that_ to his moping. And I want to see you both smile again and I think this night can bring that back. It disturbs me to say this, but I would rather see you in your lovey- dovey state than _this_."

"Thanks Ginny… that was really thoughtful of you." They both sniggered.

"Now off you go. Ron will probably try to figure out how to get up the girls' stairs if you don't go down to him now." Hermione thanked her again and started to head down to the Great Hall. In the middle of the grand staircase, Ginny's words really hit her and suddenly she felt very nervous. This was their first date! What would they talk about? What did he have planned for it? The worse part though was that she was still a little mad at him for not telling her about this. Maybe then she wouldn't have ignored him had he said something.

She stopped so she could look around the corner before the Great Hall. There he stood looking down at his old watch. He was wearing his best blue sweater that had a slight V- shaped neckline and the longest jeans he owned, though they were still a couple of inches too short. Hermione thought he looked really handsome there where he stood. But she was still angry at him and she was gonna let him know it. She took a deep breath and walked over to him with her arms crossed over her chest to tell him she was annoyed.

When he looked up and saw her coming, he smiled a nervous smile at her. "Hey." He said when she reached him. She didn't say anything back; she didn't even look at him. "Mione, please."

"Oh don't Mione me!" She turned around and hissed at him. "I can't believe you couldn't stop moping around for a few seconds to wish me a happy birthday, so I didn't have to go around being angry at you for believing that you didn't even remember it."

"Hermione I'm sorry..."

"And then you don't even go get me yourself, but rather you send Ginny to invite me to our first date!"

"She volunteered because she thought we should..."

"I know what she wanted, I was just with her. But I can't believe you didn't have the nerve to come and ask me yourself!" They were shouting now, or at least Hermione was.

"Like I said Ginny wanted to, plus you were angry at me and..."

"Of course I'm angry because you didn't wish a happy birthday to your own girlfriend!" At this, she started to walk away as this first date was feeling all wrong and she didn't really want to have it anymore. But Ron ran in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. "_Damn his long legs."_ Hermione thought. She tried to struggle out of his grip, but without success.

"Please Hermione; let me explain- _without_ interruptions." Hermione didn't stop her struggles at first but when she realised she wasn't going anywhere, she did (though she kept her eyes away from his face) and apparently Ron took this as a sign to continue.

"I'm sorry for the way I've behaved these past few days, ok? It was just that... I was really excited to start Quidditch this year. Harry was gonna be back and Ginny was gonna tryout." Hermione started to slowly look up at him, his ears were bright red and he wasn't quite meeting her eyes." I guess I was just really excited for us to play together and… I would have a girlfriend cheering for me in the stands." At this, he gave her a little nervous look and a half smile. Listening to what he was said, she finally gave one back to him as she felt her anger starting to fade away. "But know this Hermione- I'm gonna be standing with my beautiful girlfriend, not playing while having to see my best mate and sister playing without me. And I'm afraid my girlfriend will think I'm a failure for not making it on the team and being up there with them. No, I said no interruptions." He let go of her and raised his hand to keep her from talking since she was going to tell him she never thought of him as a failure. "But that's not all that has made me act like this."

"No?" She managed to get in. He shook his head and looked down at the floor.

"No I..." He looked up at her again and into her eyes this time. "Can you please just come with me?" He took her hands in his and started to lead her to the door of the Great Hall. When they were standing in front of it, he let go of her and started to open the door. The long tables were all gone. The only one that was there was a small square table with two chairs on each side of it. It had a red tablecloth on it, two lit candles and two plates with silverware. "I'm so sorry Hermione." Hermione turned to Ron who looked at the table with misery. "I didn't have any money to buy you a present so this was all I came up with. Well, I tried to make it look like the Yule Ball so we could now have some good memories from it, but that failed too." Ron turned to her and met her eyes. "I'm so sorry Hermione; I really wanted this to be special."

Hermione just stared at him in shock. Her anger was gone and heartache replaced it when she saw Ron looking so down as if he had failed the whole world. How could he think that this wasn't special? She had to let him know that this was the best present he had ever given her and there was only one way to do that. She threw herself at him with so much force, that they almost tumbled down. She kissed him hard on the mouth as she tangled her legs around his waist. Hermione felt his arms sneak around her to hold her up and his shock was gone apparently, as he was kissing her back trying to keep up with her enthusiasm.

"How could you ever think that I wouldn't like you taking me out to dinner?" She asked him as they separated. Hermione got down on the ground but kept her arms around his neck whilst his stayed around her waist. He just shrugged at her question. "I don't care if you bought me a present as this is more than enough. This is the _best_ first present as my boyfriend you could ever have given me."

"So you really think this is ok? Even though I didn't get the Yule Ball look so we could get some nice memories from it?" He gave her a half smile.

"All I want is for you to be there and spend time with me; not some expensive thing that will eventually get lost or broken. I think that this is incredibly romantic and perfect as it is dinner with you… just you." She reached up and kissed him more gently this time. "And I'm glad that it doesn't look like the Yule Ball as I want to forget that whole night ever happened. And if there will be an Easter Ball, we'll have plenty of time there to make good memories." This time Ron bent down and kissed her.

"I'm sorry for the way I've been these last few days… I've just been upset and nervous. Thank you for being there though."

"I understand and I will always be there for you. And even though I'm sad for you to not be on the team, it will give us more time together when they are at practise."

"Hey! You're right!" He finally smiled his lopsided grin and Hermione couldn't help smiling back.

"Yes I am… and I'm surprised that you don't know that I always am right." They both chuckled. "And I'm sorry for the way I behaved today too."

"Wait, what am I hearing? Are YOU, Hermione Granger, actually apologising to ME, Ron Weasley?"

"Oh shut up you." Hermione hit him playfully on his chest while he laughed.

"Now, I'm finally gonna say something I've wanted to say all day." He gawked and looked straight at her." Happy birthday, Hermione." She just kissed him.

When they sat down at the table, food appeared like it usually did. Hermione looked suspiciously at it then up with a raised eyebrow at Ron who just chuckled at her.

"Don't worry, I've cooked it myself. Although… Dobby really wanted to do it. But I knew you wouldn't allow it unless I paid him so I just asked him if I could borrow the kitchen and for him to keep the food warm and send it up to us when we got here. And yes, I paid him with a pair of my old socks which he was really happy with." Hermione reached over the table and kissed him on the cheek. She couldn't believe he had cooked for her, and honestly, it tasted delicious. First, they ate a beautifully cooked salmon with feta cheese, vegetables and potatoes; and for dessert, he had made a warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

They didn't talk about Voldemort, Quidditch or anything that was negative through the whole dinner. Instead they made jokes, talked about old memories that happened before they met and flirted a lot with each other. The curfew was closing in way too fast and soon they had to leave so they would make it back to the common room on time. Hermione linked her arm with his as they made it towards the grand stairs.

"So what did you think about our first date?" Ron asked as she saw him looking down on her. She looked him in his eyes and leaned her head on his upper arm.

"I think it was absolutely perfect, even though it started with a fight."

"Well it wouldn't have been us if it hadn't." They both laughed and walked the rest of the stairs in comfortable silence. Yes, this had been a perfect night and Hermione didn't want it to end. They had been so distant with each other lately and she didn't want to separate from him just yet. She wasn't going to go up with him to his dorm as she had said it was only gonna be a weekend thing and she wanted him to know that she meant that and didn't want to feel the presence of the others boys in there tonight. So when they reached the seventh landing, she dragged him down the opposite corridor that lead to the common room-just like she had their first night back.

"Wait 'Mione, what are you doing? The curfew..."

"Think of where this corridor is leading." She just said and kept dragging him by his arm. It took a few seconds before Ron realised and said,

"Oh... OH!" She smiled up at his shocked face. "Really?"

"Yes." She didn't have to look at him to know that he wearing her favourite lopsided grin.

They reached the wall where the room was hidden. Hermione let go of Ron and started to pace back and forth three times while thinking. _"We need a place to be alone."_ When she was done pacing, she opened her eyes and saw that the door had appeared. She turned and smiled at Ron, took his hand and opened the door. Apparently the room had read a bit between her thoughts, as there was only a King sized bed in the entire room. She blushed when she saw Ron with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smile on his face.

"I... I didn't think... about just tha-..." But she didn't get to finish as his mouth was on hers the next second. She felt his arms sneak around her back as she put hers around his neck and her legs around his waist because before she knew it, he had lifted her up and started to carry her to the bed. She was put down on her back on the bed and he hovered over her. Their tongues had started battling each other passionately; it was like they hadn't done this in weeks, even though the last time was Friday.

Their hands were everywhere, stroking and squeezing. His hands finally settled on her breasts and started to massage them, as his mouth left hers and wandered down her jaw to her neck. Hermione didn't know how it happened but both Ron's shirts had come off and she was stroking his bare back as he sucked on the special spot between her shoulder and neck which always made her shudder. It was no different this time and she felt him smile as he knew exactly what he had done. She wanted to wipe that smug smile off and she knew exactly how.

She pushed on his shoulders just as he was about to kiss her again and apparently he wasn't ready for that or he wouldn't have tumbled over on his back so easily. She got up and straddled his waist; she looked down on him and saw a bit of shock in his face, though that smug smile hadn't left yet. Well… two could play this game. She took the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head. She looked down again and was pleased to see the smile had left as he was staring at her black bra covered breasts. She reached back, unhooked it and let it fall down without blushing too much now. So she did just that and was even more pleased when she heard him moan.

When it was gone, she bent down and started to kiss him again. His hands wandered up to her now bare breasts, but they didn't stay there long as she started to kiss her way down on his chest. He moaned as she caught one of his nipples in her mouth and sucked on it. She did the same to his other nipple before she continued downwards. She got to the hem of his pants, unbuttoned and unzipped them. He raised his hips so that she could pull down his pants as she could see his hard penis through his black underpants. She looked up at him and smiled what she hoped to be a sexy smile when she saw that he was watching her. But he laid his head back again when she started to stroke him up and down through his pants.

She did this for a couple of minutes before she took down his shorts. When they were gone and she saw his penis, she felt a sudden urge to do something new. After what happened the first time they were here, Hermione had read about this but she hadn't had the courage to do it to him yet. But she gathered all her courage now as she gripped his penis, bent down and licked the tip.

"OH GOD MIONE!" Ron cried out as he bucked up his hips as she sat up alarmed and she let him go.

"What? What happened? Did I hurt you?" She asked him worryingly. He was breathing hard and fast so it took a couple of seconds before he could look at her and answer.

"N-no... y-you absolutely... d-idn't. I-I just... just w-wasn't prepared for... for that."

"So... it was ok?" She asked nervously and grabbed his penis once again and watched as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Oh hell yeah!" she started to stroke him up and down again.

"You want me to continue?" She started to get back her confidence and courage once again.

"Oh yes please!" She smiled at him but when she looked down on him she got a little nervous. _"Ok Hermione, just remember what you read. First get him hard by grabbing and stroking him up and down a couple of times."_ She did that again just to make sure, even though she had already done that. _"Second, grab the base of the penis firmly but not hard and lick slowly around the tip."_ She bent down and licked him again, this time managing to get it around a couple of times. _"Then put it all in your mouth without gagging and then slowly suck on it on your way up."_ She put it in as much as she could without gagging, (though not all as he was too big), and did as the book said. The taste was just as salty as normal skin was.

"Oh Merlin Mione!" She looked up at him to make sure he was ok and what she saw was his face in pure bliss. It gave her the courage to continue and made some of her nerves disappear. _"Third, after a couple times of doing this, grab and massage his testicles and twist your mouth around his penis. Do this until he comes." _She sucked on him a couple of times more (he was panting hard and moaned her name every time she did it) before she grabbed and started to gently squeeze his balls.

"OH MY GOD! Hermione I'm gonna... I'm gonna... HERMIONE!" Suddenly she felt fluid being shot in the back of her mouth and she had to back away as she gagged on it. When she tried to swallow, it went down the wrong way which made her cough. When the coughing calmed down, she looked up at Ron who was panting hard but met her eyes. "I'm... sorry. I tried... to... warn you." He said between breaths.

"It's all right, I just got a little startled as I didn't expect it to shoot out so hard." She smiled as she tried to climb up beside him but when she was in reach, he grabbed her and pulled her down to kiss him. She knew that he could feel the salty taste of him and that, surprisingly, aroused her even more than she already was.

"So it was good?" She chuckled when they broke away.

"Good? It was bloody amazing."

"I can't believe you did that." He said. She blushed and said,

"I'll do anything that makes you happy." Suddenly she found herself on her back as he had pushed her over like she had done to him earlier.

"Please Hermione; I want to make you as happy as you just made me. I want you to feel just as amazing as I just did." At first, she couldn't grasp what he was saying, but after a moment she did and suddenly got just as nervous as she had when she took off her bra in front of him for the first time.

"No you don't as I know that you are gonna think it's ugly." She said without looking at him. She could feel him leaning over her.

"Hey look at me." He said softly as his hand found her cheek and started to stroke it gently with his thumb. She looked up in his dark sapphire eyes. "I think you're beautiful. And the more I've seen of you, the more beautiful you've become." He said and smiled to her as she couldn't help smiling back as she blushed a bit more at his words. "Please trust me. You can stop me if you want, but please let me try." She looked up into his pleading eyes. He really didn't think it would be disgusting to go... down there and... do what she had just done to him?

"It's not that, I trust you with my life." She was about to turn her face away from him again but his hand stopped her. "Its... it's just that I'm afraid you will find me repulsive and never want to be with me in that way anymore."

"Hermione, did you find me repulsive?" He asked her.

"Well no but..."

"Then what says I'm gonna find you repulsive?"

"I... I don't know..."

"You are beautiful." He kissed her slowly on her mouth and then wandered down her jaw again but got up and nibbled on her earlobe while mumbling the word beautiful to her. She started to pant and soon she was really aroused by his kisses and biting.

"Ok." She said. He stopped his kissing and looked back on her.

"Are you sure? I don't want to force you. If you're not ready, I'm ok with that."

"It wasn't that, I actually hoped you wanted to do this…I'm just… nervous." She stroked his cheek.

"I am too. You can stop me whenever you want."

"Yes you told me."

"Good. You're really sure?"

"Yes now kiss me before I change my mind." She didn't understand him sometimes as he first really wanted to do it, but then he goes all chivalrous on her and asks her if she's ok with it, even though she told him she wanted this. Well it didn't matter, as he finally kissed her. He kissed her just as she had done to him down her chest and treated her breasts with kisses and squeezes. The moan came up before she even realised, but she couldn't hold it back. "Oh Ron." She felt him smile against her skin before he continued his path between her breasts and down to her stomach. She felt Ron's hand loosen her button and unzip her jeans. She looked down at him as she felt him grip the hem of her pants. He paused and his eyes met hers, asking if she was ok. She gave him a nod; he smiled which calmed her nerves a little.

She bucked her hips up as he pulled down her pants. When they were gone, she was surprised that he had left her knickers on but was even more surprised that he was sitting himself up. But it soon went away and was replaced with self-consciousness as he stared down at her mostly naked body. She tried to cover herself but he immediately grabbed her hands and smiled down at her.

"What did I say about hiding from me?" He bent down and kissed her. "You are so beautiful." He whispered in her ear before he looked up at her again. "Are you ready?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she nodded. "Relax, I've read about this but you have to guide me anyway." Hermione snapped her eyes open.

"You've read about something?"

"Hey! I read! Just… maybe not all the books with over a thousand pages." Hermione laughed and suddenly felt more relaxed. She took one more deep breath and calmed down.

"Ok, I'm ready." He stroked her cheek.

"I love you." He said as his hand continued down her chest.

"I love you too." Suddenly she gasped as two of his fingers were outside her knickers, stroking them up and down her folds. She tried to focus on staying relaxed but it got harder and harder as he now had slipped his hand under her knickers now. She gasped once again as she felt his fingers slip between her folds for the first time, stroking them around to find each part of her.

"Is... is it ok if I move away your knickers? It will be much easier if I... you know... see what I'm doing." She nodded at him; he went down and took them away. When they were gone she slowly spread her legs and he lay down between them. "Wow." Was all she heard as she didn't dare look at him as he watched her fully exposed body. "It's so wet. " She didn't think he was speaking to her anymore but she didn't care as his fingers started to stroke her once again. Suddenly he found her clitoris and a wave of pleasure shot through her body, her hips bucked up as she shouted.

"Oh my God Ron!" When she came down from her shock and opened her eyes, that she didn't even know she had closed, she was met by a worried Ron who was still lying between her legs.

"Are you ok?"

"Brilliant."

"Was that your clitoris?" He asked.

"Yes." She gasped in answer. Then she saw him smile dreamingly at her.

"Wicked." He said and returned his focus on her vagina. He put his fingers back on her clitoris and as she was prepared for it now so she didn't raise her hips as much. "H... how was it that I... that I should rub it?" She looked down at his troubled but focused face, wearing the same look he has when trying to figure out something he didn't quite understand.

"Small... circles." She said and leaned back moaning and wiggling as his fingers started to move. He did this for a couple of minutes, then he took his other hand and put one finger at her entrance and pushed it in. "Oh Ron!" She cried out once more, moaning even louder. She could feel her climax building up but it was not ready to let go yet. She felt him add another finger, felt it stretch her even wider. It felt so good; she had lost all control over her body as it was wiggling all over the bed and all she could feel were his hands making rubbing circles, stretching and filling her up-her climax was so close.

Then she felt him take away his finger on her clitoris as she was just ready to look down on him and protest when for the first time, his tongue made contact with her clit. "Ron I'm... I'm gonna... OH RON!" Waves and waves of pleasure shot through her and she must have passed out as the next thing she heard was his voice.

"Mione! Mione are you all right? Wake up Mione!" A worried Ron came into view as she opened her eyes.

"W- what happened?" She asked him as he helped her to sit up.

"You passed out after... after you came."

"Oh... well that's embarrassing." She said looking away from him feeling her cheeks going warm.

"Why? What happened?"

"Well... some women pass out when... when their climax is... is really strong." She still tried to avoid his eyes but when he didn't say anything she couldn't resist looking up at his face which was wearing a very smug smile. She smacked him on his bare shoulder. "Stop looking so proud." She said annoyingly.

"Why? I am proud, proud that I made my girlfriend come so hard that she passed out on my first try pleasing her." She hit him on the shoulder again as he chuckled. "Come on, we should go back and go to sleep."

"Yes we should certainly get some sleep." At this, he lay down on the bed beside her and tried to drag her with him.

"Ron we can't sleep here. We have to get to class tomorrow."

"I will set the alarm clock." As he said this, a nightstand with an alarm clock appeared beside the bed.

"Ron we can't," she tried to wriggle out of his grip but was unsuccessful although she didn't try very hard as she felt more tired by the second. "Someone will notice that none of our beds have been used- what will they think?"

"I don't care what they think. All I want to do is spend the night alone with my girlfriend naked. How does that sound?" She hesitated for a moment but then said,

"Well it does sound very nice..."

"Then stop struggling." He tried to pull her down to him again and this time she gave in and lay down on his chest with her arm across it.

"Ok, but only this time." She was almost asleep when he spoke again.

"So... did you like it?" Even though he had sounded so proud and confident before, she could hear doubt in his voice now.

"Ron, I thought you could tell that by the way my climax ended." She said without looking up from his chest.

"Well yeah but I... I just wanted to make sure... you know." She got up on her hands and reached over to kiss him.

"It was the most amazing feeling I've ever felt. I thought you were brilliant." He smiled and she just had to kiss him again before she lay her head back down on his chest.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Finally, they both fell asleep, thinking of what it would be like to make love as their next step.

**AN: Thank you all for reading my story and thanks for the reviews! =)**

**Also thanks to my Beta for being patient with me! =)**

**You know what to do! =)**


	18. The Missing Ingredient

Chapter 18: The Missing Ingredient

'_I'm about to die' are my only thoughts as company. Well several thoughts, actually, have visited me throughout the years. These all involve my parents, friends and Nick. _

_Nick came in one day about five years after the torture and had said that he had met someone else and he was going to be remarried in June. He promised to still visit her, but maybe not as much when they had married. She had cried inside as her body didn't respond to her emotions._

_He had done as promised and visited her about once a month, always coming alone. She had never met the woman who stole her newly wedded husband from her. About two years after he remarried, he came in and this time he wasn't alone. He came in with a bundle in his arms._

"_Tyra, this is Michelle." He bent down and showed her a newborn baby. "She's my daughter." How could he do this? She knew that he didn't know that her brain was still sane, but didn't he think it was just cruel to show his and his new wife's baby to the woman (even though she was crazy) he was supposed to have spent the rest of his life with? She was grateful that her body decided to turn the other way and he soon left with his daughter._

_He had done the same when his second daughter came into the world and his son who came two years after that. When he had gone back with his son, he came back and told her that he wasn't going to visit her anymore (as his wife didn't like it). She never saw him again after that. The love of her life had left her here to die alone just because his new wife didn't like it. She hated him more than ever._

_When she was about to turn 55, her mother died and three years later her father passed as well. The only ones that visit her now were her friends, but they had their own lives to go on with so they didn't come very often. Now, many years later, she was 89 and all of her friends were dead too. _

"_I know it'll work; I worked it out years ago. 'How have you not? You are the bloody healer here, your minds are supposed to be working it out you bloody fools!' she thought angrily as she felt her life slip away. "You are the reason my life got ruined… you all are the reason I lived my life alone and now she will die alone too. If you just had tried harder to find a cure, you would have figured it out and I would have a husband and kids just like it always should have been." She felt herself get weaker by every minute. She wondered how the stupid Healers would react when she was finally dead; she almost wanted to see their relieved faces. _

"_Just take Asphodel, Blood from the victim, a bit of Crocodile heart," Her breath started to quicken. "Valerian, Wartizome, Basilisk Venom, one Runespoore egg," she felt cold. "Scarab beetle, Wormwood, Silverweed..." She rambled up all the ingredients she had figured would help with the potion, to make her get back to her body; she had a potion mistress after all. "... and the most important ingredients are Jobber knoll feather and..."She took one last breath, and then all went black._

Ron woke up with a start, as if someone had shot something through him causing him to fly out of his bed. 'What the hell just happened?' he thought as he found himself on the floor. He looked up to see if anyone had woken up from the sound of him landing on the ground. Everyone in his dorm was still snoring. He sat up on his knees and rubbed his face with his hands. He had dreamt about Tyra Powel once again. '_What the hell! They were supposed to be fucking over now.' _He thought to himself. _'I haven't had one for months, why would they come back now?'_ But the longer he thought about it, the more he realised that it hadn't been like any of his usual visions. In the visions, he always saw her tortured or the time when she woke up in the hospital.

But now she had been old, going on about her miserable life. _'And what else had she been talking about? A potion? She had come up with some kind of potion in her mind. But what had she said it was for?' _Ron got up and sat on the edge of his bed, his hands covering his face once again. _'Wait! Had she said that it would take her back to her body? Had this Tyra Powel really found a cure for the people who had lost their minds in torture?' _Ron got up on his feet and over to his drawer searching almost frantically for a piece of parchment and a quill. He finally found it and started to write down all the ingredients that she had rambled up. _'...and the most important ingredients are Jobberknoll feather and...and what? 'He_ searched through his memory for that last ingredient but could only remember darkness. _'No! Please don't tell me that you just died before you said the last one. Please, anything but that!' _He banged his hand over his head.

What the hell could it be? He wasn't good at sorting these things out; it was more of a Hermione and Harry thing to do. Ron thought he should probably tell them and hear what they think. But he wanted it to be his thing too. He always felt insecure when they had thought of something and were rambling on with each other about it even though he didn't quite understand. He was always felt too embarrassed to ask them to explain it to him so he would just pretend he knew. Even though Hermione said he was smart, he knew she only just said it to make him feel better, which he did, whenever she said it. But he wanted to prove that he also could solve something, prove that he would be of some help to them when the war got worse. Plus, Hermione would only worry if he told her that he was having visions again. No… he wouldn't tell them or anyone else. He would do this by himself. Although Ron and Hermione had promised each other they would share any discoveries they found regarding a cure, but he wanted to at least try to do this alone.

He looked over all the ingredients before putting the parchment back into the nightstand and cast a locking spell on it before he lay back down on his bed. _'What could it be?'_ he asked himself and went over all the ingredients he could come up with that hadn't already been mentioned by Tyra Powel. But all that came up were standard ingredients, and doubted it was anything common. He had to research ingredients books later, (he chuckled to himself as he knew Hermione would be proud of him if she could have read his mind right there) but he had to sleep right now as classes would start in a couple of hours. If he didn't get any sleep, he knew his girlfriend would know that something had been keeping him awake and would only press him for answers (he loved when she was so caring, looking out for him). But no, he resolved to figure out this mystery alone.

He turned over on his stomach and fell asleep almost instantly, dreaming of potions (and Hermione, of course).

It was Saturday in the middle of October, three days after the vision. Ron woke up to a cold bed which usually was warm with Hermione's presence on Saturday mornings. Apparently, she was the only one who had heard the alarm clock and let him sleep in, while she went back to her own bed. He felt a little disappointed that she hadn't woken him up, but then he remembered last night when they had done a bit of a rerun of her birthday, smiling goofily to himself.

He was actually glad that she had let him sleep for a bit because he had stayed up really late these past three days researching the missing ingredient. He had followed Hermione every time she announced that she was going to the library, who felt quite surprised when he said that he wanted to tag along. He just said that Snape had asked him to study some ingredients for his private potion lessons. She had accepted that answer and didn't ask anything more about it. She actually looked very happy every time he went with her.

He had gone through about five books about ingredients by now; two he had read in the library but soon got bored down there so three he had borrowed to read before he went to sleep. He had tried to find something that had to do with the memory, but all that was mentioned was the Jobberknoll, Tyra Powel's last word. He had also tried to find something with binding, brain binding to be more exact, but hadn't found shit about that. He decided to go down to the library again and see if there were any more books about ingredients, though he doubted it.

He got up from bed and went to take a shower. He was the only one left in his dorm as the clock showed 11 am, so the showers were totally empty too. After that, he got dressed and went down the stairs. He found Hermione reading on a couch with her back turned to him, as Harry and Ginny both sat in each chair with their noses in their essays they had in front of them. Ron went over to Hermione and hugged her from behind before planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Good morning." He said in her ear before moving around the couch (he greeted Harry and Ginny too as they said hello but didn't look up from their parchments) and sat down beside her. Hermione was leaning against the armpit of the couch, but turned to lean against him when he sat down.

"Good morning? It's almost lunch time." She chuckled as he put an arm around her so she could lean her head on his chest.

"Well, it's morning for me as I just woke up. Why didn't you wake me?"

"Well I thought you looked tired so I thought you could have a bit of a lay in." She said and looked up at him.

"Thank you… I was a bit tired, though I was a little disappointed at first because I wanted to continue what we did last night." He smiled as he saw the blush rising on her cheeks. "You did enjoy last night… right love?" His smile grew wider as her blush grew deeper and she nervously looked over to Harry and Ginny to make sure they weren't listening.

"I think you already know the answer to that." She whispered so low that he almost didn't hear her. "And keep it down, will you!" She hissed that last part in his ear. He bent down and whispered back,

"Yes, I think I already know the answer but I like to hear it from you. And I'm sorry for saying it a little loudly but I'm trying my best as I really just want to go up the stairs to the Astronomy tower and shout that I made Hermione Granger come three times!" He smiled dreamingly down at her, recalling how she had shouted his name every time she came.

"If you do that Ronald Weasley, I can assure you that you won't have _anything_ to shout" She tried to look serious but he could see a smile fighting to break through.

"Are you sure you can live without me ever again touching, stroking and/or rubbing you?" He whispered seductively in her ear and watched her close her eyes as her breathing started to quicken. "Living without me massaging your breasts, biting your nipples, kissing my way down your stomach, lower and lower...Then, finally, my tongue makes contact with your pussy, licking..." He didn't get to finish his sentence as her lips crashed down on his. He had started to talk like this to her last night and had discovered that she liked it, _very much_, in fact.

She straddled his lap (which he was pretty surprised to see, as Harry and Ginny were just in front of them. She must've forgotten that they weren't the only ones in the room, (but he wasn't going to tell her that bit of news as he started to forget them too). Without breaking contact from his lips, he put his hands around her waist and was just about to deepen the kiss when he heard a sound.

"Oi! Do you really have to do that here?" Hermione flew off his lap and fell down to the floor. Ron struggled not to laugh at her panicked face as she tried to get back on her feet. It seemed like he had been right about her forgetting the other two's presence. He held out a hand to her and took it, almost jumping up, turning around to a laughing Ginny and an annoyed Harry.

"I-I'm sorry." Hermione said embarrassed and sat back down beside Ron, who put an arm around her. She turned to him and whispered angrily, "And if you say such things to me again in a public place, I can certainly sleep in my own bed for a couple of weekends." He believed her threat and made a mental note to not say anything like _that_ in public again.

"And do you have to sit so close all the damn time? We all know that you are together! You don't have to rub it in our faces."

"Ok mate, what the hell is wrong?" Ron asked as he thought Harry had crossed the line. He saw Harry open his mouth to answer, but then decided against it and shut it again.

"Nothing." He said and packed his essay back in his bag. "I think I will finish this upstairs." And before anyone had a chance to stop him, he was already half way up the stairs.

"Ok, can someone explain to me what the hell just happened?" Ron asked as he turned back to look at his girlfriend and sister. Ginny shrugged her shoulders as if to say that she was just as clueless as him but Hermione said, "Well I think I know what's going on but I think you should go up and talk to him. I think it's a guy thing." She was looking at him as she said this. He sighed and put his head on the back of the couch. He had really hoped for a nice quiet snuggle with Hermione before it was time for lunch, but that was now out of the picture.

"Fine, I'll go and talk to him." He slipped his arm away from Hermione's shoulders and stood up, heading for the stairs. He found Harry gazing out of the window beside his bed. Ron knocked on the door to get his attention and walked over to his own bed to sit down on the end.

"Ok mate, are you gonna tell me what's going on?" He saw Harry sigh and slump his shoulders.

"I'm sorry about what I said down there. I don't really mind that you and Hermione sit like that, and it's ok if you kiss too…I'll just look the other way." Harry was still staring out of the window as he said this.

"Then what's bothering you?" Harry turned around, but continued to gaze at the floor.

"I guess I'm just jealous. I just want what you have with Hermione."

"WHAT?!" Ron said and stood up straight, fisting his knuckles as he could feel his body fill with rage. Harry raised his eyes from the floor and then looked panicked as his words had apparently hit him.

"NO! No, no I don't obviously mean with Hermione, she's like a sister to me!" Harry said putting his hands up in front of him, probably to try and protect himself from Ron if he decided to launch at him. "I mean that what you two have together, but… with somebody else, of course." Ron could feel the rage leave him and lowered his fists again.

"Oh, well do you have anyone in mind?" He asked and sat back down on the bed. He saw a blush creep up Harry's neck as a smile grew on his face; he was once again avoiding looking at him.

"Well… yes I have. And I was planning to take her out on a date on the first Hogsmeade weekend, on Halloween."

"Oh just tell me who it bloody is already- you're killing me here!" Ron was so excited. He hoped Harry had finally realised that there were feelings between him and a red-headed girl they knew very well. Harry finally looked back at him and said,

"It's Hanna Abbot."

"Oh?" Well that wasn't something Ron had expected. "How come?"

"Well, as you and Hermione have been sitting together a lot lately, I found myself sitting beside her in Transfiguration…and we sort of started talking." He said still smiling. Ron, on the other hand, felt a little guilty for not sitting with Harry in class as much anymore.

"I'm sorry mate if you felt left out..."

"Oh no, there is no need to apologise. If you hadn't sat with Hermione, then I wouldn't have started talking with Hanna."

"Oh, ok." Ron just said. "But did you really get these feelings just by talking to her once during Transfiguration?"

"Well, no. I sat with her a few times actually. And on Hermione's birthday, while you were on your date, I went to the Room of Requirement to study a bit because it was a bit too stuffy in the common room. After about half an hour, she showed up telling me that after DA she used to come to this room and study too. And well, we had a really nice time together." Harry was now sitting on the end of his own bed with his elbows on his knees. "But the problem is I have no idea how to ask her."

"Well how did you ask Cho to go with you?" Ron asked him.

"I just said: Do you want to go with me on the next Hogsmeade weekend? But she had kissed me before that so she already knew I liked her. How did you ask Hermione for your first date? I mean, she was even angry at you and you managed to get her to go anyway."

"I-I had Ginny kidnap her from the library." Ron felt his ears turn red, but then got quite pleased as Harry released a true laugh, which Ron hadn't heard in such a long time. When Harry had calmed down he said,

"Something tells me that I will never get bored with you two."

"Well, I'm glad you find us entertaining. I'm also glad that you have found someone that you like. And I think you should just try and ask her out like you did with Cho." After he said that, his stomach rumbled. "Now, can we please go down to lunch? I haven't eaten anything today and I'm bloody starving!"

"Yeah, thanks for the advice mate." Harry said as they got up and headed for the door.

"No problem, mate. Now hurry up. I want to eat before we have to show our pathetic attempts of that Animagus spell. "

"Good Mr Potter very good." McGonagall said from where she was seated behind her desk as Harry had just finished showing her the wand movements to the Animagus spell perfectly. "I am very happy to see that you have all taken this seriously and have been practising it very hard. I am also very happy to say that we can get ahead of the schedule and do the spell before Christmas break."

"Can I ask professor why we can't do them now? You said that we all did it right." Hermione said.

"You usually practise this spell for over a year before you cast it over yourself, Ms Granger. Even if you mastered the words and the wand movements after a few days, it still will take a lot of practise. If the spell goes wrong, the animal inside you will be forced out too fast and you won't be able to change back." McGonagall said as she was looking at Hermione over her glasses at first but then gazed over Ron and Harry too. "But don't worry, with the progress you have all made, I think you will do brilliantly when the time comes."

Even though McGonagall thought highly of them, Ron still doubted it, even more now when he knew what would happen if he got the spell wrong. He usually screwed up spells like these when it mattered, no matter how much he practised them.

"But from now on, you will come here once a week and practise here so that I can see that you are still doing it right." She got up and walked to stand in front of her desk. "But I still expect you to think of the words every morning and continue to practise it together. The more you do it, the sooner we can get to the self- transformation." They all nodded at her. "Good, now Mr Potter, would Wednesday evening after your Quidditch practise of course, be a good night for you to come here?"

"Yes, professor that will be fine." Harry answered and Ron and Hermione nodded.

"Good and I don't think you should get yourselves detention anymore as Professor Snape didn't like to clean his classroom up the last time." When she said this she looked over at Ron who smiled at the memory of when he had set off one of Fred and George's portable swamps. He would never forget the look on Snape's face, as it had made him laugh even days after. "You will now have your lessons with him and I once a week and I think you can just say that you are getting some more advanced lessons in our classes for those who ask you." She looked down at her watch and gave a little gasp. "Oh my, it's nearly midnight. I will walk you back to the common room." She headed for the door, as they all followed her.

The walk back was silent. Ron was hand in hand with Hermione but didn't say anything to her as he was still thinking about the spell and what it would do if he screwed it up. If he did mess up, he would become some sort of half animal and that was something he loathed to picture. He looked over at his wonderful girlfriend and thought how she would react if he did. He shuddered at that thought. He really wasn't sure if he still wanted to go through with this anymore.

Professor McGonagall bid them a good night and turned to head back to her office when they reached the Fat Lady. Hermione smiled at him as he helped her through the portrait hole. He squeezed her hand and smiled back.

"Well I'm heading up to bed." Harry said. "Good night you two." Ron watched as he ran up the stairs before he looked down at Hermione again.

"Come and sit with me." He didn't wait for a reply before he tugged on her hand and led them to the couch. Ron sat down in one of the corners of the couch and Hermione soon followed, putting her feet under her and laid his arm around her shoulders so that she could lean her head on his chest. The fire was almost out, but it was still quite warm. At first they didn't say anything, but eventually Ron just had to share his concerns.

"Are you worried about the spell?" He asked her, not noticing that he had started to twirl her hair around his fingers.

"No- Why? Are you worried about it?" He could feel her fingers trace lazy circles on his stomach.

"Well… maybe a little. I have a feeling that it will go wrong when I actually perform it." When he said this, she looked up at him, frowning.

"What makes you think that? You said the words and made the movements just as good as Harry and I…McGonagall said so herself. I don't see what you have to worry about."

"Well you know me, the one who usually screws up when it actually counts."

"Ron that does not happen and you know it. Sometimes you let your nerves get in the way but when you are calm, I've seen you perform amazing work. You just have to calm down and don't worry about it." Ron looked down at her and saw the faith she had him. It made him think that he could do anything. He smiled at her, then bent down and kissed her on her lips. But just as he was about to deepen it, she pulled away to get up and sit back down, but this time, on his lap.

"So are you gonna tell me what you and Harry talked about? I want to know if my theory was right," she asked and started to stoke her fingers through his hair.

"And what was your theory?" He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her fingers.

"Well, I think he has finally realised that he has started to like someone more than a friend. That's why he acted the way he did towards us. He wanted what we have. Am I right?" She looked really excited.

"Yes, you were right as always, of course." He said and smiled up at her.

"Did he tell you who she was?" At this he sighed.

"Yes he did." He didn't really want to say as he thought that Hermione wanted their best friend to get together with the same girl that he wanted him to get together with at Hogwarts.

"Well?"

"It's Hanna Abbot."

"What?" She didn't look as excited anymore.

"Yes, he's taking her out on a date on the first Hogsmeade weekend." Her eyes turned frustrated and she turned her head away from him and said,

"Oh he is so thick sometimes. Sure, Hanna is a nice girl, but she's not the one I was hoping for Harry to choose. I wanted it to be the one that is right in front of him."

"Who were you hoping for?" She looked over at him and blushed like she just realised that she said that out loud.

"Well, don't get mad, but I was kind of hoping for Ginny."

"Yeah, I was kind of hoping for her too." Hermione looked like she saw him for the first time.

"What?"

"What have you done with my overprotective boyfriend?"

"Ha ha, I'm not overprotective."

"Oh really?" She said sarcastically. "What about her ex, Michael Corner?"

"He was a git. I could already see that truth and if Ginny just had listened to me, she wouldn't have been hurt when they broke up and watch him start to flirt with Cho Chang right after…even you can't deny that."

"Well, ok he wasn't the best example." She said and smiled down at him. "But don't you feel that it would be weird if your best friend started to date your sister?"

"Oh yes it would. But I trust Harry. He is my best friend and the only one I would trust with Ginny." Suddenly Hermione's arms were around him and her face was buried in his neck.

"Oh I'm so glad that you think that Ron! I was afraid that if they got together it would be hard for you to accept." She backed away a bit but kept her arms around his neck. Both smiled at each other, but he saw Hermione's smile disappear as her eyes travelled down to his lips. She looked up again and now he saw desire in her eyes. "Let's not talk about Harry and Ginny anymore." He agreed and met her lips with his halfway.

Ron deepened the kiss almost at once, pulling her down so that she lay on her back against the couch. He felt his shirt being pulled out of his pants, her hands coming up under it, scratching her nails over his chest. He moaned in her mouth as she did the same. He started to kiss her neck and grabbed her leg that she had wrapped around his waist; he started to slide his hand up her thigh and up her skirt. His other hand snuck under her shirt, up to her bra covered breast, squeezing it gently and pinching her nipple between his fingers.

"Ron... oh yes... we should... right there... continue this... oh Ron... upstairs." That's when Ron realised that they were still in the common room. He let go of her, sat back up, and took her hand to help her back up too. She looked absolutely beautiful with her hair all wild, her flushed cheeks and red lips from his kisses. His jeans were becoming tighter the more he looked at her and just couldn't wait to have his arms around her again, in his bed. He stood up and tugged on her hand, dragging her up from the couch.

"Ron! What are you doing?" He didn't answer her; he just kept dragging her over to the boys' staircase. "No Ron… I can't just run up with you. What if someone sees us?"

"It's really late Mione, I know that everyone is asleep, but I promise I will truly check before I let you in." He knew that she was still unsure, but didn't object any further. They got to the door and he opened it slowly so he could stick his head inside to see that every curtain was drawn around his dorm mates' beds. He motioned for Hermione to be quiet before he led her to his bed. They both got inside as Ron closed the curtains before casting an Imperturbable spell.

He turned around to her to see that she had already gotten rid of her shirt and skirt and had lain down on her back with her hair spread all over his pillow. She was smiling up at him as he just stared at her for a moment. His gaze was on her beautifully long legs, which then travelled up to her blue cotton knickers, and finally up to her flat stomach and matching bra.

"You have too many clothes on, you know." He looked up at her face and saw a slight blush on her cheek that had developed as he stared at her.

"You are so bloody beautiful Hermione." He said before he crawled up to her on his knees while taking off his shirt at the same time. When it was off, he saw that Hermione had sat herself up and started to unbuckle his belt. He watched her as she unbuttoned his jeans and pulled down his zipper, pulling his pants down his hips. He threw his head back as she started to stroke him through his boxers. She had started to kiss his stomach and he had put his hands in her hair, moaning her name.

Soon though she pulled away, wanting him to take off his jeans completely. He did as she asked but felt that he wanted to take care of her first. So he took her shoulders and laid her back down. Both in just their underwear, they started to kiss each other passionately once more as both of their hands explored each other's' bodies. Ron soon let go of her mouth and started to wander down. She arched her back as he nibbled her special spot between her neck and shoulder. He took the opportunity to slide his hands back and unhook her bra.

He pulled it away and brought his mouth and hands to her breasts sucking, nibbling and massaging them. She was wriggling under him, moaning his name as he played with her breasts and then she shuddered, screaming his name. He smiled down at her as she came back to him but the smile vanished when he saw the determination and mischief in her eyes as she opened them.

Before he knew it, he could feel her legs coming around him and started to press at his lower bottom so that his lower part fell over hers. Nothing but the fabric of their underwear was separating them and Ron almost came at the thought.

"OH GOD RON!" She screamed as she started to grind herself against him and he soon started to follow her fast pace. It wasn't long before she screamed his name again as she came and Ron yelled,

"Hermione... I'm gonna cum!" Suddenly, he was flipped over on his back and she had slid down his boxers just enough to free his cock before she took him in her mouth. Just after a few sucks, he was screaming her name too, as he released himself inside her mouth. His eyes were half open as he saw her swallow his release. When she met his eyes, he could tell that she was still not satisfied and he sat up just to lay her down again, kissing her neck.

He started to kiss his way down and began to play with her breasts once again. But this time he didn't stop there for long as he kissed his way down her stomach and pulled down her damp knickers to reveal her womanhood. He could smell her scent as he took his index finger and started to stroke her up and down. She was whimpering once again and soon started to wiggle as he put his finger inside her going in and out slowly at first, but then started to speed up.

"Oh Ron more, please more!"

He added another finger and put his mouth on her clit, sucking and licking on it as she rode his fingers faster.

"OH ROOON! She screamed for a third time that night. He crawled up her body and kissed her lips. It took a while before she came down from her climax and responded to him. Soon he rolled over on his back, taking her with him so that she tucked up against his side. She put her leg possessively over his leg and put her hand across his chest where she laid her head.

None of them said anything, both knowing how amazing the other had thought it had been. Ron could hear Hermione's heavy breathing and thought she had fallen asleep as he felt it was coming up on him too. That's why he got a little startled when she rose herself up on her hands and stared down at him. It was almost as if she was studying his face, taking in every detail of it.

"What?" He asked feeling a blush warming his ears and face as she was studying him.

"I love you." He smiled and was about to say it back but she held up a hand to stop him. "I would never have thought that I could feel something like this for someone. You are lazy, insufferable, a prat, brave, loyal, protective of the ones you love, smart and extremely handsome. You make me feel so frustrated, sad, angry, passionate, beautiful, happy, special and loved. I love everything about you, Ron, about us. Ron, I'm ready." She was looking down at him very intensely as he was blushing more and more after every word that she said. Then it hit him with what she had said in the end. He gulped as he thought he knew what she was ready for, but he wanted to hear her say it.

"W-What are you ready for?" She didn't blush when she replied,

"I want to be with you…to _fully_ be with you…to have sex with you."

"I love you so much." It was the only thing he managed to say before he was about to kiss her, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Wait, I don't mean right now Ron. I want to wait until Halloween as that is when we first became friends. Is that ok?" She asked with a concerned face as she apparently was afraid that she had hurt him.

"Hermione, I've waited for this since third year. I think that I can wait two more weeks. I'm so happy that you even want to be with me in that way that you could have said that you wanted to wait until we were married." He saw her blush and smile at his words as he blushed too as he had just realised what he had said to her. He smiled even wider when she didn't object to the word marriage. She wanted to marry him one day. _'Why this may be the happiest day of my life.' _He thought. "Do you want to go with me on a date to Hogsmeade, and then, if you are still up for it, we can come back here or any where you want." She was smiling the widest smile he had ever seen on her when she said, "That sounds like a lovely idea." They kissed some more before Hermione lay back down against him.

"I love you so bloody much Mione…there are not enough words for it."

"I know Ron, I know." Hermione said grinning while falling asleep.

With these exciting thoughts in mind, both slept tangled together with smiles on their faces through the entire night.

**AN: Hey thanks for all the amazing reviews! Those are what make me keep writing!**

**I promise that after chapter 19 there will be a bit more about the actual adventure. **

**Thanks to my Beta!**

**Tell me what you think of this one!**


	19. Halloween

Chapter 19: Halloween

Hermione woke up in her own bed on Saturday morning, the morning of Halloween. Butterflies flew around in her stomach and a nervous smile slowly spread over her face as she thought about what would happen tonight. She was nervous, but so excited about it, as she knew that Ron felt the same way.

Every time their eyes met, they smiled and blushed at each other and would immediately have to touch each other in some sort of way. It would often happen when they were studying in the library (which Ron had willingly gone with her for several weeks now, which she thought was rather odd but was pleased at the same time) when one of them would catch the other staring at the other. They couldn't do much then but hold hands, put a hand and massage each other's thigh or play footsie under the table. But when they were alone, like say in a corridor, Ron took her hand and led her to a broom closet or an empty classroom to snog her senseless.

It had been so hard to keep their hands off each other that they decided that they wouldn't sleep in the same bed any longer so that they wouldn't get carried away before Halloween. But…it was finally here.

Hermione drew the curtains away from her four-poster bed and saw that it was about 8:30 in the morning. She would meet Ron and Harry (who had asked Hannah Abbot to Hogsmeade a couple of days after Ron had talked to him, and she had said yes) for breakfast around 9:30. So she got up and headed for the showers to prepare for the day that lay ahead. When she was done, she threw on jeans and a jumper before she headed down to the common room to meet her boyfriend.

Upon arriving at the common room, she saw the Weasley with long hair sitting in one of the chairs and looking troubled.

"Well you look like you're having a wonderful morning." She stated when she saw Ginny who gave her the evil eye at her words. Hermione walked over and sat in the other chair across from her.

"Oh shut up." She said and crossed her arms in front of her chest, crossing her legs too and sinking down in her seat. "You're very lucky you know…having the guy you want and not having to watch him go on date after date with other girls, wondering if he ever will notice that you are not just his best friend's sister." She was staring at some unknown spot down on the floor when she said this. Hermione laid a hand on her knee and felt sympathy for her. She knew Harry had feelings for Ginny, she could see it in him when he talked to her.

"I know it must be hard Ginny. I used to just wait for a girl to come and take Ron away from me. But luckily, I was that girl." Hermione smiled when Ginny snorted at her but then she said seriously. "You just have to give him some more time. The more you talk to him alone, the sooner he will realise his feelings for you."

"Feelings? What feelings? The only feelings I see are friendly."

"Oh believe me, they're not. It's just like when you saw that Ron had feelings for me but I couldn't see it. I gave it time, several years in fact. Harry's just thick when it comes to these things."

"Oh yeah? Then why is it that he has a date today and it's not with me."

"Because he's a thick boy who can't see that the one that he loves is right in front of him. And I will say to you exactly those words you said to me last year: don't give up on him yet."

"Well, who would have thought that Hermione would sit here and give advice about boys?" Ginny said and laughed at her own joke.

"Oh ha ha, very funny." Hermione said but smiled anyway. Then Ginny sat up again with mischief in her eyes and said,

"But enough about my boy problem…what is it that makes you pretty much glow of happiness this morning? Has it anything to do with my git of a brother?" Hermione felt her face burn and turned her head away from Ginny as a shy smile broke out over her red face. Should she tell Ginny that she and her brother planned to take the next step with each other today? Did she want anyone to know? No, she didn't. Right now it was just for her and Ron to know about and she really hoped that he hadn't told Harry or anyone of his dorm mates either.

"Yes it has to do with him but I'm not going to tell you right now…but maybe tomorrow." She said as she looked up and smiled at Ginny again, still red as a tomato."

"Oh why not?" She whined before she leaned forward with her head in her hands which she rested on her knees. "I don't want any details but tell me as much as you can." She was just about to say that nothing had happened yet but was thankfully saved as she heard two pair of feet heading down the boy's stairs. Ron came down first. But when he saw her, he stopped at the bottom of the stairs, blocking Harry from coming down. Hermione saw his handsome face as his ears slowly turned red as he gave her one of his cutest smiles.

She smiled back as she felt her own cheeks heat up once again. She laughed out loud when she saw Harry roll his eyes and then pushed Ron forward so he almost tripped, which made Ron mutter something angrily to Harry. His blush deepened over embarrassment as he walked over to her with Harry on his tail. His anger disappeared from his face though when they reached her and Ginny. She felt a light kiss on her head as he walked behind her seat before coming to stand on her other side. She smelled his cologne when he walked past her and she felt butterflies in her stomach as smiles and blushing faces met once again.

"Morning ladies. Talking about something interesting?" Harry asked when he reached them.

"No, just some girl talk." Ginny answered grumpily, clearly not wanting to talk to Harry right now.

"Ok, well... if you're done what do you say about some breakfast?" Harry said though he was frowning at Ginny, clearly wondering why she was cross. Ginny didn't say anything though as she stood up and started to head towards the portrait hole. "Why is she so upset?" Harry asked as he turned back to Hermione after he had watched Ginny walk away. Hermione looked up at Ron and saw that he had understood why his sister was so upset. She turned back to Harry and said,

"Girl stuff Harry…only some girl stuff." Harry, feeling confused, just shrugged his shoulders as he started to follow Ginny.

Before following after Harry and Ginny, Ron's hand suddenly came out in front of her as she looked up and saw Ron smiling down at her. She smiled back and took his hand. She stood up and then they walked hand in hand out of the common room, sneaking side glances at each other and blushing every time they would catch the others' gaze as they walked down the corridors. Then she felt Ron's hand slip out of hers and was just about to complain when she felt it sneak around her waist.

"Good morning." She looked up at his handsome face.

"Morning." It seemed like she couldn't stop smiling today. She snuck her arm around his waist and put her hand in his back pocket of his Muggle jeans that were a bit too short.

"Are you sure that you still want to do this?" He asked her for like the hundredth time this week. She stopped him by putting her free hand on his stomach and turned so that she was facing him.

"After my birthday, I started to think about having sex with you. First I thought about the things that made me nervous, like, 'if you really wanted too', 'how much it would hurt', 'big the step in our relationship' and if I was ready for that." She saw that he was about to interrupt so she put a finger on his lips to silence him. "I know that I was silly to think that you didn't want to as I know that you do every time that we are together on the weekends. But I doubted you and myself and I'm sorry for that." She took her finger away from his lips when she saw that that he wasn't going to protest anymore.

"But then two weeks ago when we were lying in bed after we had...finished, I started to think about how much I loved you, how much I wanted you and the way you watched me told me that you wanted the same." She let go of his waist and put her hands around his neck while his free hand also came onto her waist. "I have been thinking about this for so long Ron, and when I realised that I was ready I just wanted this day to come faster. I almost regretted to wait for Halloween, but I wanted it to be today because this was the day that we became friends. I'm ready Ron, are you?" She felt him bend down and kiss her softly.

"I'm more than ready."

"Good, now let's go so that we don't miss breakfast." Ron chuckled, thinking that he was a bad influence. Ever since he and Hermione began their relationship, he noticed that her appetite was growing almost as large as his own. They went into the Great Hall and sat down and ate with Ginny as Harry had gone over to Hufflepuff's table to sit with Hannah. When they were done, they left Ginny who wasn't going back to change as she was just going with Luna and some girls from her own year to Hogsmeade. Hermione went up to her dorm and started to change into the tightest jeans she owned , a jumper that showed off her curves, a cloak, and a scarf as it was quite cold outside today. She was met by Ron downstairs once again; he was dressed in his latest Weasley sweater from last Christmas and his cloak. His face broke into a smile, like he hadn't seen her for years instead of just ten minutes ago. Upon seeing this, she couldn't help but smile just as much back.

"You look so beautiful." He said as he walked over to meet her at the end of the stairs.

"It's a jumper and jeans Ron, nothing special." She said grinning and took one of his hands.

"Well you always look beautiful-no matter what you wear." She felt him kiss her on her forehead as she blushed at his words. She stood on her toes and pecked his lips in gratitude. "I told Harry that we would wait for him here. He left to meet Hannah Abbot in the Entrance Hall and didn't want to go alone."

"Sure." She said, but her mind wasn't on Harry and Hannah at all and she knew that Ron's wasn't either. It seemed like they couldn't stop looking at each other, and the red on their cheeks didn't fade away. _'Urgh, I'm becoming one of those stupid blonde girls who can't stop drooling over their boyfriends.'_ She thought to herself but still couldn't stop looking at Ron's sapphire blue eyes and the love they expressed. _'Oh who gives a damn; I have the right to act like a teenager sometimes.'_ She couldn't stand the distance any longer and leaned up to press her lips against his. He responded with such enthusiasm that he literally lifted her off her feet. She was just about to suggest that they should skip Hogsmeade and head straight up his dorm when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She broke away from Ron's lips just as Harry came into view.

"Oi! I know that you also are going on a date today, but can you at least wait until we have gotten down to the village?" Hermione felt a small blush on her cheeks but both she and Ron just smiled at Harry before following him, hand in hand, down to the Entrance Hall. They had to wait for Hannah for a couple of minutes. But when she arrived, Hermione saw Harry smile a smile that she had never seen before, not even whenever he saw Cho last year. _'Wow he must really like her…poor Ginny.' _Hermione thought as she watched Hannah and Harry exchange a pretty awkward hug before walking towards them.

"Hi Hermione…Hi Ron." She greeted them. "Are you going on a date too?"

"Hello Hannah." They both greeted back. "Yes we are, it's our second date but we've been together since the end of last year." Hermione said and gripped Ron's hand a little tighter as they all started to walk towards the village.

"Oh that's really nice. I've always thought that you had feelings for each other and I thought you were perfect for each other after the Yule Ball." Hermione smiled at Ron who had snorted at the mention of the ball. "What are you planning to do on this date?"

"Well, we don't really have a plan..." Hermione started but was interrupted by Ron's laugh.

"Did you ever think you would hear those words come out of her mouth Harry?" At this, Harry started to laugh as well and even Hannah snickered a little. Hermione hit Ron on his arm but smiled.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, we're just going to walk down the street and go into the stores as we feel like doing. Are you doing something special?"

"Well, I was thinking something in the same style and would later eat some lunch at the Three Broomsticks." Harry said. "If it is ok Hannah, maybe you can join us there?"

"Of course, it would be nice to hang out with all of you."

They all agreed to meet back at the Three Broomsticks at one o'clock and thereafter went separate ways.

As Ron and Hermione were walking down the street, Hermione realized she needed some new supplies. "I need to buy some parchment and some new quills. How about we do that first and then go to Honeydukes and Zonko's?" Hermione said to Ron as they walked up the main street.

"Sounds good to me." They walked to the end of the street and Hermione bought her supplies.

"Hey, what do you say about going to that Puddifoot's Tea Shop?" Hermione then said as they walked out.

"What! Are you insane? Didn't you hear Harry's description of it last year?" Ron was looking at her like she was the craziest person on Earth.

"Well, yeah…but don't you think he was overreacting a little bit? Besides, it's not Valentine's Day so it won't be as bad." Ron still looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing and just stood gaping at her. When he didn't answer her, she rolled her eyes at him and took his big hand to drag him along with her. "Come on, I think it is about two streets down."

They walked down two streets like Hermione had said and when they rounded a corner they saw a little shop with a purple sign that read _Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop._ Hermione led Ron to the door and opened it. To Ron's disbelief (and even Hermione's) they were met with pink and purple everywhere. The tables, the chairs and even the teacups were those colours. Even up in the ceiling there were hundreds of pink balloon hearts that would sometimes sail down between one of the couples just to burst and play a love song. It certainly looked like everyday here was Valentine's Day.

"I suddenly don't think that Harry overreacted one bit." Hermione said mostly to herself than to Ron. She looked up at him to see a disgusted and a little scared face.

"Hermione, I don't ask for much…but I ask you now to see reason and please walk away from this place." He begged. Hermione nodded and closed the door and burst out laughing when they walked out onto the street. Ron soon followed her and they laughed together for a good couple of minutes. "That was the most horrible teashop in England." Ron said when they had calmed down. Hermione only nodded in agreement.

"Let's just go to Honeydukes and Zonko's…I've had enough of new places for one day." Hermione could only laugh and took Ron's hand as they walked away. It took a little longer to get to Zonko's than it usually did because when Ron put his arm around her shoulders, again the activities that they were going to do this night came to her mind again. Therefore, she felt the sudden urge to just grab him and snog him senseless in one of the allies. When he had caught on to what she was doing, he reciprocated the action happily.

When they finally came to the shop, they looked at all the new products from last time they had been there. Hermione usually didn't buy anything there and didn't do it today either, but she thought it was odd that Ron didn't buy anything. He usually bought stink bombs and gross items like that, but nothing today.

They continued down the street to Honeydukes which was as usual packed with people. Her parents really didn't want her to eat sweets; but what her parents didn't know wouldn't hurt them. She took some Chocolate Frogs and some Droobles. When she turned to Ron, she saw that he hadn't taken anything off the mountain of sweets he usually bought. Then it clicked for her.

"Oh Ron, you should have said something." She saw him raise an eyebrow at her when she started to dig in her pockets and took out some galleons and held them out for him to take.

"Are you insane? I'm not going to take any money from you. I'm already embarrassed that I can't pay for the things you want like a proper boyfriend should do on a date." He said crossing his arms. "Oh please Ron, where does it say that the girlfriend can't pay for their boyfriend on a date? I can tell you that it's not written anywhere because it's not a law. Now take this money or I'll just buy sweets that I know that you like and give them to you." She said still holding out the money for him.

"I simply refuse to take money from you." He said and crossed his arms again in front of his chest.

"Some more Chocolate Frogs and Sugar Quills it is then."

"Hermione please don't do this."

"Ok how about this, I buy these things for me and then you can have some if you want." Ron thought about it for a while before finally saying,

"Fine. I guess I can live with that." She smiled at him and thought about his Weasley pride. After that, it was time for them to meet Harry and Hannah at the Three Broomsticks. They spotted them holding hands and laughing at a table in one of the corners, looking like they really wanted to be by themselves. Hermione gave Ron a look asking him if they should interfere. He responded by giving her a nod that told her that they _did _invite them and then took her hand and started to walk towards the table.

"Hi Harry, Hannah." Both of them looked up and their joined hands on the table separated. "Are we interrupting something?"

"No, no of course not." Harry said with a slight blush on his cheeks. "Come and sit down." Hermione took a seat beside Hannah and Ron sat across from her beside Harry.

"So how has your date been so far?" Hannah asked when they were seated.

"Oh yes, very wonderful. We've been to some of the stores and even to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. But as soon as we opened the door, we closed it again." Hermione said and smiled at her.

"Oh really? I've never been there- what's it like?"

"Oh you should be glad you haven't been there. It's all pink and purple and hearts everywhere. It's like Valentine's Day everyday there." Hermione said in a disgusted, yet amused tone.

"Uh, that sounds really horrible." Hannah said.

"Yeah, even some of the balloon hearts would pop and sing a love song to the couples in there." Ron said looking just as disgusted and amused as Hermione.

"Really? That must be something new. Gosh it's even worse from when I was there?" Harry laughed.

"Oh yes it was mate." Hermione got a little nervous when Harry said this and hoped Hannah didn't understand that he had been there before with Cho Chang. But she didn't get too nervous because Madam Rosmerta came to take their orders, causing a change in subject.

"Hello dearies, do you want something to eat and drink?" She asked them. Both Harry and Hannah took the onion soup and a butterbeer and Hermione took a turkey sandwich. "And what about you handsome?" She said and turned to Ron (Hermione was secretly pleased that he didn't blush every time he saw Madam Rosmerta anymore) but was still annoyed at the flirtation.

"Oh I don't think..." He started but Hermione interrupted him.

"He'll have the same as me." She said and stared at him, daring him to argue with her. He glared back and she saw the battle going on in his brain before finally relenting.

"Fine, I'll have the same as her." She smiled at him and searched his foot with hers under the table to play a bit of footsie when Madam Rosmerta had walked away. It didn't take that long for them to get their food and they ate chatting about nothing in particular. When they were done, Hermione understood that Hannah and Harry too were playing footsie under the table as Harry accidently hit her foot with his. She also noticed that they were holding hands and soon understood that they probably wanted to be alone in their last hour and a half of their Hogsmeade visit. She also realised that she really wanted to be alone with Ron here before they went back up to the castle and his dorm in the Gryffindor tower.

"I think we should get going Ron. I want to pay a visit to the Shrieking shack before we head back to the castle."

"Why do you want to go to that creepy place?" Ron asked looking at her with a confused face.

"I thought we could relive old happy memories there."

"Happy memories? What happy me..."

"Just come on Ron! It was nice to get to know you a bit more Hannah and thank you for lunch Harry." She said as Harry had insisted to pay for all in the end. "And have a nice time with the rest of your date." She said and stood up.

"Oh you too, it was really nice to get to know you both a little better." Hannah said and smiled up at Hermione.

"Yes it really was. Well bye for now." She grabbed Ron after he had said bye to them to and walked out on the street again. She knew that Ron wondered what had gotten into her, but he didn't make a sound as she dragged him down the street and on the path that led to the shack. When they got to the gate in front of the house, she finally stopped and turned to Ron who apparently couldn't hold on to his questions anymore.

"Ok what the hell was that?"

"Ron, don't swear." She scolded him.

"Sorry, but I really want to know what that crazy escape was about?"

"It wasn't an escape." She stated. "Didn't you see that they wanted to be alone? I told you that it didn't look like they wanted to be disturbed when we got there. They were on their first date and I certainly didn't want anyone to disturb us when we had ours."

"But they invited us, Hermione. If they didn't want us there, then they why did they do that?" He said looking even more confused.

"Well apparently they had a nicer time than they had expected…can we just drop it?" She said not wanting to have this pointless discussion when they could use their time for other things. Ron just shrugged his shoulders and they let the subject drop. "Besides, there are some happy memories here for us." She said and stepped closer and hugged him around his waist, looking up into his now smiling face.

"Oh yeah? What?" He asked and put his arms around her.

"When we found you after Sirius had dragged you down the tunnel of the Womping Willow and you stood up on your broken leg between us and what we then thought was a mass murderer saying that he had to kill us to get to Harry… that was the first time I started to realise that I was in love with you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, I thought you were so brave and you looked so handsome. It was honestly all I could do to not walk up to you and just snog you senseless."

"Well you can snog me now." She could see his sapphire blue eyes darkened with lust and she knew that he was thinking about what they would do tonight. She felt the lust rise in her as she thought about it too.

"Oh I have every intention." She had barely gotten the words out of her mouth before their lips met halfway. There was so much passion in the kiss as their tongues immediately started to battle each other fiercely. Hermione snuck her hands from his waist and up his chest and around his neck as his came to rest on her bum... _'Arse, it's called arse when you are in these situations, Hermione.'_

She pressed her body against his making sure that he could feel her breasts against his chest. He let out a moan and started to walk backwards without breaking their kiss, before his back hit something which turned out to be a tree. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes before Ron suddenly turned them around so that her back was against the tree. He lifted her up and her legs immediately wend around his waist and suddenly his very obvious erection was pressing against her most private part of her body. She broke the kiss to let out a loud moan.

"Oh god Ron!" She opened her eyes to find him looking at her with an even more lustful gaze. After staring at each other for a couple of seconds, he suddenly started to rub himself against her. She could feel the bark of the tree dig into her back but she didn't care as she closed her eyes again, concentrating on the feeling that hers and Ron's bodies were creating.

After a while she started to feel the now familiar feeling of an orgasm build up in her body and Ron captured her lips once again as she probably was beginning to get a bit too loud. She was glad that he did that as they hadn't cast a silencing charm and she wasn't too thrilled about letting the whole village know what Ron was doing to her.

Just a couple of minutes later, wave after wave of pleasure ran through her and she screamed Ron's name in his mouth. And just after a few more thrusts, she knew that Ron had cum too as he did the same into hers. She claimed him for a bit longer so that she could steady her breath a bit but she could still feel hunger for him so she untangled her legs and he set her down. She put her hands on his chest and looked up in his flushed face to see that he wasn't quite done yet either.

"Ron, I can't wait any longer…take me up to your bed…please." She didn't need to say it twice as he grabbed her hand and started to walk back to the castle. They were running up to the gates just stopping to kiss or touch each other in the sexiest places they dared in public.

When they reached the Fat Lady, Ron shouted the password several feet away so that they wouldn't have to stop. Hermione giggled at him and turned her back to the common room to just stare at him with a flushed face from both the run and the excitement from what they were about to do. Though when she had climbed in through the portrait hole, she was met with a sight she surely wasn't prepared for.

"The only people in the room were Professor McGonagall who was standing in the middle of the room with Mrs Weasley. Hermione was just about to think it was like Mrs Weasley knew that she was going do improper things with her son today when she saw the solemn looks on their faces. Both women turned to them when they entered and Mrs Weasley's eyes suddenly teared up when she saw them. Hermione felt Ron grip her hand a little tighter before he walked over to them.

"Mum why are you here? What's happened?" His mother didn't answer him though, as she just stared at Hermione as Professor McGonagall started to speak with so much sorrow in her voice.

"Hermione, I think we should speak with you al..."

"No, whatever it is, Ron is staying." Mrs Weasley was now crying freely. She was clutching Ron's hand so tightly that she knew it hurt but he didn't flinch and she needed the contact. McGonagall just nodded and then went quiet, clearly trying to decide the words she should use. "Please Professor, just tell me." Hermione said feeling worse by the minute. McGonagall looked up straight into her eyes and Hermione thought she would cry just from all the sadness in them.

"I am so sorry to inform you Hermione that there has been an attack on your parents' safe house though no one knows how. And I am sorry to tell you that your parents were tortured and…there was no one to protect them this time." Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing, she wouldn't believe it. Her parents were supposed to be safe! It had to be some sort of mistake! "Hermione, your parents are now in St Mungo's mental ward as they were tortured, causing them to lose their minds." Hermione didn't even know if she had hit the ground as darkness took her whole being.


	20. St Mungos and Researching

**AN: Thanks for the reviews guys!**

Chapter 20: St Mungos and Researching

He had been so furious when he had been told by the healers that he wasn't allowed to go with her to see them, telling him that only family was allowed to go and that they had to speak with her alone. He had tried to argue with them that she shouldn't be alone, but it was all in vain. Hermione, who he had been holding a tight grip on ever since she woke up after she had fainted, just walked out of his grasp. She immediately followed the healer in the shocked state that she had been in since they left the Floo from the common room. He could only look after her as she walked away. Feeling a little bit hurt he felt that she didn't seem to need him, but immediately dismissed the thought feeling a bit ashamed of himself as he thought about her parents. So it ended with him being led by his mother to the chair he was currently occupying.

How could this have happened? They were in a safe house with a Fidelius Charm on it, that _he_ himself had preformed and was Secret Keeper. He was sure that he hadn't mentioned them since they left for Hogwarts, not even to Hermione. Had the spell gone wrong in some way? Wasn't it strong enough? Dumbledore had said that it looked right when he had performed it, but… Dumbledore had made mistakes before. And if that was the case, it would be his entire fault that Hermione had lost her parents. He wondered how he could ever live with that on his conscience.

He remembered the horror he felt as McGonagall had told them the horrific news in the common room and hearing his mother's scream when Hermione started to crumble down, catching her just before she hit the floor. He just stared at her unconscious face for a moment in shock, thinking that it couldn't be true. He snapped out of it when McGonagall told him to take her to the couch, picking up her little frame easily to carry her over to it. McGonagall revived her once he had put her down and she woke up with the emotionless face she was wearing now. Ron had tried to say comforting words, that he was here and he wasn't going anywhere and things like that, but he had no idea if she even heard him.

Now here he was sitting, outside her parent's room, with his head in his hands with both Harry and Ginny beside him. They had arrived a bit later after Hermione had gone into her parents' room and his mother had explained to them what had happened as Ron hadn't even looked up when they arrived. His father had to go to the Ministry since it was Muggles who had been attacked, and Bill had to go and investigate the house to see if there was some trace left from the magic the Death Eaters had used to break the Fidelius Charm. He was surprised though that Fred and George had closed their new shop, which Ron hadn't had the chance to visit yet, and came for support. Suddenly, the door to Mr and Mrs Granger's room opened and their healer stepped out and came to them. His name was Healer Kuznicki. He was in his forties and had short brown hair with a few grey stripes.

"I have talked to Miss Granger but I think that she is in too much of a shock to really understand what I'm saying, so we are going to give her a potion to help her calm down. I take it that you're close to her and her parents?"

"Yes we are." Mrs Weasley said. "Hermione is like a daughter to us and they all stayed with us this summer."

"And Hermione is my girlfriend and that is why I should already be in there with her." Ron said standing up and feeling the anger rise once again.

"Calm down Ron, we are all worried here, but you don't have to shout at the people that are trying to help." Mrs Weasley tried to reason with her youngest son.

"It's quite all right Mrs Weasley." Healer Kuznicki said. "I'm sorry Mr Weasley, but I had to try and talk with Miss Granger first and as she didn't say that you could be with us, I had to speak with her alone first." Ron calmed a bit but didn't sit down. "But now I think that I can tell you everything since you are the closest to her from the Wizarding World. If you could step into my office please, I will try and explain their condition."

"Of course, thank you Healer. Mrs Weasley then interjected, "Ron, please come with me while the rest of you stay here. If your father or Bill comes, tell them we are with the Grangers' healer."

"Mrs Weasley, I would like to come too. Hermione is my best friend and I want to know what happened." Harry said. Ron was getting impatient as he wanted to get this over with and go to Hermione as soon as possible.

"Yes, you can come too Harry as I can't really tell you what to do."

"Mum I want to go too please." Ginny said and stood up with Harry.

"Ok, come on Ginny. Fred, George stay here."

"Can we please get a move on?" Ron said impatiently.

"Yes, let's go." They finally followed the Healer and soon got to his office. It was quite small with a desk with some papers and a picture of a woman and a girl on it. There was only one chair in front of it which his mother took a seat. Healer Kuznicki sat down in his chair behind his desk and then began to speak as Harry closed the door.

"As you know Mr and Mrs Granger were tortured with the Cruciatus Curse earlier today. From what we can tell, they were hit several times and the curses lasted for several minutes each time." The Healer looked at them with pity. "And I am sorry to say that it went so far that they sorry to say "lost their minds"." Mrs Weasley gasped and Ron felt sick to his stomach. "There is no treatment for this and after over a hundred years…it doesn't look like there will be one in the near future. I am truly sorry, but it looks like Miss Granger's parents will spend the rest of their lives in this vegetative state."

Ron looked up at the healer as Tyra Powel came in to his mind and Ron thought he recognised the healer suddenly. "Excuse me, but didn't you have a patient called Tyra Powel who also suffered the same fate?" He asked.

"I-Yes, she was one of my patients when I was an intern and died a couple of years later... why do you ask that? And how did you know?" said the healer clearly a bit taken aback by this Ron's knowledge.

"That doesn't matter. Did she ever speak about something?"

"No of course not…the same thing happened to her that happened to Miss Granger's parents. Of course as a result, and they cannot communicate in any way. They don't even respond when you are talking to them. It's as if…they are just bodies, walking around…just being."

"_No you are wrong. They are all still there, trapped in their own minds. And I can get them back with their bodies if I only knew what that last ingredient was." _Ron had hoped that Tyra had said something while she was here in the hospital but of course she hadn't as she couldn't control her own lips. _"Well I'm not gonna give up, I'm gonna figure this out even if it is the last thing I do. I promise Hermione, that I'm gonna get your parents back no matter the cost." _He closed his eyes and imagined his beautiful Hermione as he made the promise. When he opened his eyes, he saw that everybody was staring confusingly at him. "I don't have any more questions, thank you." Ron said.

His mother then started to talk to the healer about if the Grangers should stay here, or should they be moved to another place but Ron didn't listen. He looked down at Harry who was watching him with a raised eyebrow. Ron just shook his head to tell him he wasn't going to say anything to him yet; in fact, he wasn't going to tell anyone his "vision". He had been right to keep what he had discovered a secret, hoping that he could solve it alone. But if he told anyone now, it could easily spread around and maybe even You-Know-Who would find out his secret. Realizing that this could happen, Ron knew that with Harry's connection to You-Know-Who, that he would have to keep everything quiet longer.

"Well, I think that was all and if you want, you can go and visit Mr and Mrs Granger now." Healer Kuznicki said as he and Mrs Weasley got up from their chairs. They all headed back to the room of Mr and Mrs Granger and when they got there, they saw that Bill had come back from the safe house they had investigated.

"Bill! Did you find out how they found the house?" Ron asked when they reached him.

"No, I didn't have a Death Eater present that I could question. But what I found out was that they must have broken the Fidelius Charm with a new invited spell. "What the bloody hell is an invited spell!" Ron asked angrily. Bill, who normally wouldn't allow his baby brother to speak to him that way, looked at Ron sadly. "It's a spell that takes away layer by layer of the protection charm. I don't know how it really works yet or how to do it. I need to do further research before I can be sure." Bill said to them.

"Ok, I guess that's a pretty good start." Ron said, though he still was concerned that he had accidentally blabbed about the house without thinking. He truly hoped that he was not the cause of allowing the Death Eaters access to the Grangers' home.

"Thank you Bill." Mrs Weasley said and kissed her eldest son on his cheek. "Now I don't think we should all go in there at the same time. Of course you should go first Ron, and I think Harry and Ginny shall go too, while the rest of us wait here." Ron immediately started to head for the door where Hermione, Mr and Mrs Granger were behind, as he heard Harry and Ginny walk closely behind him.

The room was not very big. Mr and Mrs Granger were the only ones present. They were lying in two beds against the left side of the room, clearly not moving. There were also three chairs in the room, two on each side of Mr and Mrs Granger's bed and one in the middle against the wall behind them. He noticed that this chair was occupied by Hermione, who was holding her parent's hands in both of hers. She didn't seem to notice that they had walked in as she was just staring at the green wall in front of her, not even flinching when they entered.

Ron looked upon Mr and Mrs Grangers' emotionless faces. They looked pale and the light of life that was usually shining in their eyes was now gone. Who could ever want to do this to such nice and lovely people? _"Don't worry Mr and Mrs Granger, I know that you are still there and I'm gonna get you back. Hermione is not gonna live without you for long."_ Ron looked back to Hermione and walked up between the beds to her. He bent his knees so that he was face to face with her. She was finally looking at him and Ron saw her eyes. Those eyes that used to be warm, soft and welcoming were now cold, hard and a bit lost. Ron put his hands on her knees and looked a bit intensely at her so that she would understand what he was about to say.

"I'm here. I'm here, Harry's here and Ginny is here. Mum, Bill, Fred and George are right outside and Dad will be here soon too. You are not alone, not at all in fact. And don't lose hope Hermione, whatever you do, don't lose hope." At the last words something lit up in Hermione's eyes but it wasn't a good light.

"Don't you dare tell me that Ronald Weasley." Ron looked taken aback feeling that he would have taken her shouting and anger any day, rather than this cold voice she had right now. "You promised me that they were safe, that the Death Eaters couldn't get them. And now look at them. How could you do that?" Ron could finally hear some emotion in her voice, though it sounded like she was about to cry. At this, Ron was still grateful for her tears as it meat that his Hermione was still there.

"Hermione I'm sorry, I didn't know..."

"NO YOU DIDN'T AND THEREFORE YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE PROMISED ME! YOU WERE THEIR SECRET KEEPER; YOU WERE THE ONE THAT SHOULD HAVE KEPT THEM SAFE!" Ron took his eyes from her as it hurt too much to look at her. He knew she didn't really mean what she said; he knew she didn't think it was his fault, that she only wanted to blame someone and in this case it was the one that loved her-him. But it was still hard to hear her say it. "I think you should go now." She had taken several deep breaths and calmed down a bit as she said this in a softer but still angry voice. He looked up at her and saw sadness in her eyes. He then stood up and walked away towards the door past a worried Harry and Ginny. Just as he was about to open it, he turned to Hermione again and saw that she was crying.

"I'm still here if you need me. You just have to look me up and I'll be there with open arms." He didn't wait for a response but opened the door and walked out into the corridor. He was met by his mother and siblings with raised eyebrows but he just shook his head to say that he didn't want to talk about it.

"I'm going back to Hogwarts." He just said instead. His mother got up and hugged him.

"Whatever happened in there, you know that Hermione appreciated that you are here for her and it wasn't your fault." She whispered to him.

"I know mum but I really think it's best if I go back now." Mrs Weasley nodded.

"You can floo to your common room. Professor McGonagall said it would be open until all of you were back." Ron nodded and bid goodbye to the others before he started to head towards the fireplace. He didn't get very far though before he heard footsteps running behind him and then suddenly Harry was at his side.

"I'll walk with you." He said when he reached him. "Ron you know she didn't..."

"Yeah I know Harry, but I don't think she will get over this for a long time. Did she say something else when I walked away?"

"No, Ginny tried but Hermione just looked at her parents. You can be glad that you were the only one that succeeded to get her to talk even though it wasn't so nice." Ron didn't respond but said,

"Harry can you do something for me?"

"Sure, what is it?" Ron stopped and turned around to face him.

"You know how Hermione use to bury her feelings in school?"

"Yes."

"I think she will do this now too and as she doesn't want me to be around right now, maybe you can keep an eye on her? Make sure that she eats and sleeps alright- if she doesn't then don't pressure her, just tell me ok?"

"Yeah of course." They started to walk again and didn't say anything else before they reached the fireplace. But when Ron was about to cast the floo powder in the fireplace, Harry spoke again. "Hey Ron, what was it with those questions you asked the healer?" Ron looked over at him. He really wanted to tell Harry, knowing it would be nice to have some help but decided he couldn't risk it.

"I'm sorry Harry…but I can't tell you."

"What? Why not?" Ron looked around to see if someone was listening.

"Because of your connection with You-Know-Who…I have a- a plan...I'm sorry I can't let you know in fear that you accidentally may let him into your thoughts." He said sadly.

"Oh, it's alright I guess." Harry said although Ron saw that he was a little disappointed.

"I'm sorry mate. Just help me with Hermione, ok?"

"Ok I promise Ron."

"Thank you. See you later mate." And with that, Ron threw the floo powder in the fireplace and left St Mungos.

Over a week had passed since the news of the attack on Mr and Mrs Granger as Ron had spent all his free time in the library. He had even missed the first Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Rawenclaw (Gryffindor had won big as Rawenclaw couldn't score one point) on Wednesday seeking the last ingredient that would complete the potion to reconnect Mr and Mrs Granger's minds to their bodies.

Ron's day started at 4am with him going out running around the school (he had discovered that running outside helped clear his mind) for an hour before he went back to take a shower and then head down to the library. There, he spent the whole morning before passing the kitchen to get a sandwich and then head to class. At lunch, he went back to the library and often saw Hermione there studying, knowing that she didn't eat anything. Even though Ron tried not looking at her, he could feel his eyes wander over to her where she sat, and more often than not their eyes would meet. He could see sadness but more so saw emptiness and regret. Though he knew that she wouldn't apologise to him yet, Ron figured that she would only make an effort if he retrieved her parents' memories/lives.

After classes had ended, Ron would go back to the library while the others were at dinner. Hermione didn't usually come here at this time of the day and Ron knew she wasn't at dinner either as Harry always came to the library to inform him of her presence. Using the Marauders Map, Harry saw that she was in the Astronomy tower, just sitting. Harry also usually nagged Ron that he should go and eat something for dinner, but Ron would always say that he would walk by the kitchen later saying he had to do something (so he could get his girlfriend and her parents back- though he didn't say that). He did go to the kitchens later but not so much for himself, but for Hermione. He knew he could grab a sandwich, but he wanted to make sure that Hermione was taken care of first. He asked Dobby if he could bring her some food, asking him not tell Hermione who sent him. He also promised Dobby he would pay him, but as usual, Dobby declined the offer. "Wheezy wants Miss Hermione to be taken care of so Dobby will help Wheezy for free sir". Dobby said happily. "Thanks Dobby. Just make sure Hermione gets the food and that you watch her eat it, then report back." Ron told the elf gently. So Dobby left with a large tray of food, Ron hoping that Hermione would eat.

Ron then once again went back to research until the library closed at eight. He then went back to the common room to work on his homework with the others and research some more from the books he had borrowed for that night. Ginny said that Hermione was up in her dorm studying, saying that it was quieter there, but they all knew she didn't want to be down there while Ron was there.

As Ron returned late back every evening, he had to get caught up on all of his work he missed during the day; so as a result, he was always the last one in bed at night, feeling exhausted from the day's events. Sometimes he didn't even make it to bed and fell asleep on his textbooks. Trying to keep up this pace wasn't good, as he fell more and more behind with his homework, and was sure that the teachers would soon notice and would surely start to ask questions that he couldn't answer.

Both Harry and Ginny had started to worry about him and Ginny had threatened to send a letter to mum if he didn't start to take better care of himself. He had told them several times that they shouldn't worry, that he was fine. Even Seamus and Dean had told him that he looked like crap one morning after he had been on his morning run, but that was probably due to the lack of shaving which he had neglected the past few days. When he had looked in the mirror, he had thought that he didn't look that bad so he hadn't bothered to shave. Besides, he had more important matters to tend to each morning.

His research of the last ingredient didn't go as he hoped. He couldn't find anything that had to do with the connection between the brain and body, or an ingredient that connects with anything really. Another week had passed and it felt like he had searched through every potion book in the whole library. He had a few books left on the right side of his table but that was it; there wasn't a single one left except in the Restricted Section and he had no idea how he would get in there without revealing too much to McGonagall. He truly didn't know what he would do if these last books didn't give any result. He had a feeling that he wouldn't find anything but decided that he would look through them anyway before he thought about his next step.

He picked up one book, looked through it and found nothing. He did the same to the next one and got the same result he had gotten the last two weeks. The third one he thought he recognised and when he looked through it, he stumbled upon the Polyjuice Potion that he, Hermione and Harry had done in their second year. He smiled and even laughed (which it felt like he hadn't done in years) at the memory of Hermione turning into a cat. He read through it.

"_Add three measures of fluxweed to the cauldron (must be picked at full moon)." _He read to himself. _"Add two bundles of knotgrass that is the ingredient that actually connects your body to the one you want to turn into. Stir three times clock...WAIT WHAT?" _Ron immediately went back to the part with the knotgrass as the word _connect _truly got his attention. _"The knotgrass connects your body to the other... could it be possible that it could be used to connect to other things too or was it just used for that?"_ He had to go and ask someone help for this and as it was a potion, he thought the logical person to ask would be Professor Snape. But he really didn't fancy that idea too much, so he thought he would ask about the weed and head to Professor Sprout, who was the most knowledgeable person in plants at Hogwarts.

Ron stood up and returned the other books he had borrowed as fast as he could before taking his bag and rushing out of the library. He ran down to the Great Hall to see if Professor Sprout was still at dinner but he couldn't see her so he continued down to the greenhouses to see if she had gone there for the night.

"Professor, I need to speak to you." He said as he found her in Greenhouse 4 making the water can fly and water the plants.

"Mr Weasley, is everything all right?" She said when he came in. "Are _you_ all right?" She asked after she had seen him.

"Yes I'm fine Professor, I need to ask you something." He said when he walked up to her.

"Are you sure, I almost think that you should pay a visit to Madam Pomfrey as you look awfully pale and kind of sick."

"I'm fine." He said again. "I just need to ask you something, please." He added. She was looking at him with turned up eyebrows but finally said.

"Alright ask away."

"I need to ask you about knotgrass. It's used in Polyjuice potion and it makes the bodies connect with each other, right?"

"Yes that is correct." She said.

"Is it just used for turning into other people or could it connect things together?"

"No it can connect anything you want really, with the right ingredients of course. Are you planning to create a new potion Mr Weasley? If you are, you should really talk to Professor Snape about it first." Ron was beaming as his head was spinning.

"_This must be it, I can feel it!" _He turned and started to run out of the greenhouse.

"No, it's fine Professor- don't worry! Thank you!" He said before he was gone. He ran up to the Gryffindor tower, shouted the password to the Fat Lady, and ran past all the curious looks from his housemates and up to his dorm. He threw the bag on the floor and opened his desk drawer to take out the parchment where he had written the other ingredients. He scrambled down to knotgrass as the last one and then looked over it all. The only question now was…how the hell would he get them all?

**AN: So what do you think about that?**

**I've been in fever these last two days and most of the time I was sleeping it of, so I'm a little behind on chap 21 but I hope it will be up sometime next week.**

**Thanks to my Beta who is being very patient with me.**

**REVIEW!**


	21. The Potion

Chapter 21: The Potion

**AN: I'm so sorry I know I promised this chapter to be finished a lot sooner but my computer crashed and I had to write a big part all over again.**

**But it's finally here and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!**

Ron stood in his dorm pacing, thinking about how he could get all the ingredients he needed for the Cruciatus Potion. All the ingredients were at Hogwarts, but most of them were in the back store of the potion classroom where Snape probably was right now or in his office.

"Fuck!" He suddenly shouted as he hit his foot on Harry's trunk at the end of his bed. The lock went up and some of Harry's stuff flew on the floor. "Fuck." Ron said again and started to pick up Harry's things and put them back into his trunk. Last, he saw the invisibility cloak and held it up in front of him. _'It could work, and it's not like Harry will miss it for the next hour or so.' _Ron contemplated. So Ron put it over him, having to hunch down a bit since he was too tall and of course didn't want his feet to be seen. _'Maybe I should take the Marauders Map to just in case.'_ He thought to himself. He walked over to Harry's nightstand and opened the drawer to retrieve the map before he headed down with it and the list of the ingredients in his hand.

He walked as quiet as he could (though it was easier said as done with his big feet) and made sure no one was looking when he opened the portrait hole. He heard the Fat Lady ask who was there but he ignored her and just kept walking. He looked at the map and tried to avoid as many people as possible and went down empty corridors or took shortcuts behind some tapestries. It took almost 20 minutes to go down to the dungeon where the classroom was located; he peered on the map and saw that it was empty and figured Snape was in his office a bit deeper in the dungeon, which Ron hoped he'd remain until he was long gone.

Ron opened the cloak to reach out a hand and tried to open the door though he was pretty sure that it was locked. He was right and a simple _Alohomora _didn't work at all and determined that there was only one other spell he knew could work.

"_Absobfirmo!" _It didn't work and he didn't know any other spell. He guessed he had to figure out how he could steal them in class when both the classroom and the back store were opened. But he could get one ingredient tonight and that was the basilisk venom. And there was only one place he could get it, the Chamber of Secrets. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to prepare himself to go down that creepy place once more before he put the cloak on again and headed up to the second floor girls' bathroom.

"Who's there?" A girl's gel voice shouted when he stepped in and Moaning Myrtle came floating up from her toilet. "I know you're there even if you're invisible so just reveal yourself." Ron took off the invisibility cloak and said,

"Relax Myrtle…it's just me."

"Oh, hello Ronald. What do you want? Are you here to harass me like you did when you were here and brewed that potion?" She asked bitterly and flew down to him.

"No I'm not and I did no such thing." He said. "I just need to get down to the chamber and then I'll be leaving."

"Oh how nice, the last I saw of any of you was Harry in the prefect bathroom two years ago when he tried to figure out that egg in the tub. Then I'm alone for so long and... AHHHH!" He saw her flying with a speed that he had never seen before back into her toilet. Ron just stared after her. _'Wait did she just say that she had visited Harry in the tub?' _ He just had to ask him about that later but right now he had to focus on his mission.

He walked over to the sink that he, Harry, and Lockhart had stood in front of when they were on their way to save Ginny from Tom Riddle in their second year. Suddenly, he saw the snake on the crane and remembered how to get in to it, speaking Parseltongue. _'Oh fuck.' _He thought to himself. _'Ok how did Harry sound when he opened the chamber?' _He closed his eyes and tried to remember the hissing noise Harry made to open it in their second year. _'All I can do is try.'_ He took a step back and started hissing at the sink and watched as nothing happened. He tried again, trying to reformulate the noise though he had no idea what the hell he was doing.

After the tenth time he was getting a little frustrated; after a half an hour he was pacing back and forth in front of the sink. When a whole hour had passed, he was sitting down with his head in his hands ready to give up. What the hell was he going to do? The only person he knew who spoke Parseltongue was Harry and he couldn't ask him to come and open it without him asking questions and risk giving something away to You-Know-Who.

'_Come on Weasley…you can't give up now. Hermione needs her parents and the only way for her to get them back is if you get the stupid chamber opened.' _He lifted his head up from his hands, got up from the floor, and took a deep breath and started to hiss once more.

"_Ssssyyyaaahaasssa. Shaaayasss. Chassshasyes. AHHHHH!"_ He pounded his fists on the sink. He started to just shout out randomly. _"HASSAYAAS!" _He almost fell forward as the sink started to sink down into the floor.

'_It worked, it had actually worked.' _He thought to himself feeling shocked as he looked down the hole that led down to the chamber. '_Well here goes nothing.' _He took a step forward and then was slipping down the slimy pipe just to land on his arse on the disgusting rat skeletons. He quickly passed the giant snake skin and made it to the wall of bricks and stones that had fallen down from the ceiling as the result of Lockhart's memory spell in their second year. The hole he had made for twelve year old Harry and eleven year old Ginny to climb through was too small for him now, but this time he had a wand that was complete and therefore could easily lift the stones away with _Wingardium Leviosa._

After a couple of minutes walking in the slimy sewers, he came to the big round stone door with snakes on it that Harry had told them about. It didn't take him as many tries this time to speak Parseltongue, and when he got the word right again, a moving snake appeared unlocking the door by slinking around it. A click was heard as the snake disappeared again and a rumble echoed as the door opened to reveal the great chamber.

Ron stopped and almost dropped his jaw at the size of it. _'How the hell does this even fit under the castle?' _ He stepped down the ladder and walked on the platform between the giant stone snakes toward Salazar Slytherin's ugly face where the corpse of the basilisk laid-a very rotten basilisk corpse. The closer Ron approached, the stronger the odour of rotten flesh grew stronger and eventually he had to cover his nose with his cloak so he wouldn't gag as much. The basilisk had big flesh wounds, some even to the bones and Ron could see worms crawling inside them, eating it up from the inside.

When he got there, he quickly but carefully loosened the fangs (avoiding cutting himself) and then placed them in his pockets. He then stood up and ran all the way to the door before taking his cloak away and took several deep breaths to take in some clean air as he hadn't been able to breathe down inside the chamber. When he had calmed down, he climbed the ladder and took one last look around the chamber before climbing out of the door and back into the pipes. The door closed by itself as he started to run back toward the stones of the fallen ceiling past the skin of the basilisk and to the room where he had landed when he had jumped down the pipe in the girls' bathroom.

When he got there he looked up the pipe he had first come from. _'Oh bloody hell!' _ Last time they had Fawkes fly them up the pipe, now he had nothing. _'What the hell am I gonna do?'_ Then he could literary hear Hermione's voice in his head.

"_Are you a wizard or what?"_

He smiled to himself and took out his wand. "_Accio Clean sweep!" _He had to wait a couple of minutes but he soon heard the familiar sounds of a broom closing in. It came down the pipe and flew into his outstretched hand. After he mounted it, he made sure the fangs of the basilisk were secured in his pockets before he took off and up to the girl's bathroom once again.There was no sign of Myrtle this time and Ron could quickly cast the invisibility cloak over himself and his broomstick so as not be seen or bothered by Myrtle.

It was now dark outside and when Ron took a glance at his clock he noticed it was almost 11pm. He had to get the other ingredients and the only place he could do that was to break into Snape's private store in the back of the classroom. But he couldn't do it now as it was highly secured and Hermione was probably the only person to know the charm to unlock it besides Snape. No, he decided that he was going to do it tomorrow during the Potion lesson; he just needed a distraction and he knew just the thing.

He soon reached The Fat Lady's portrait and spoke the password without her seeing him but she just sighed and opened it up anyway muttering to herself. The common room was deadly quiet as everybody had gone to bed. Ron took off the cloak and started to head towards the stairs to his dorm when he heard small familiar snores coming from one of the tables in the far away corner. Hermione was sleeping on her arms that were resting over a couple of books on the table. He walked over to her and thought first of waking her but then decided not to as it would probably be very awkward to talk to her. Instead, he took a quilt that was lying over an armchair and wrapped it around her back. He stared at her beautiful face that looked just as tired as he felt.

'_Don't worry my love. Everything will be alright soon. That I can promise, please forgive me.'_ He bent down and kissed her on the forehead and she sighed and smiled in her sleep. He smiled back and turned around and walked up to his dorm. There he tiptoed over to Harry's bed and carefully put the cloak back into his trunk. Then he walked over to his own bed and opened his own trunk and roamed through it until he found what he was searching. _'This will be perfect for a distraction in class tomorrow.' _He thought to himself as he put it in the school robes he was going to wear tomorrow. He then put the fangs in his trunk and locked it with spells and then made himself ready for bed, (something he hadn't done in a couple of days now), and opened up his curtains and lay down. Tonight he would get a couple of more hours of sleep than he had in the past week. And that was probably a good idea as the next couple of weeks he knew would be even worse.

He had had another dream about Tyra Powel that night from when she first had figured the potion and had exactly thought about how much of every ingredient was needed and how the potion it should be done.

The next morning he was sitting in the front row in the Potion classroom closest to the back room where Snape had his private ingredients where no one but him was allowed in (except when you had special permission from Snape). When he had started to walk towards his seat, he could almost hear Harry's jaw drop to the floor as he and Harry had never been that close to the teacher desk other than the middle row.

It was the middle of the class and Ron was stuffing ingredients in his cauldron from a potion he didn't even know the name; instead he was focusing on the thing he had in his pocket. It was a block of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, one of Fred and George's new store products. The product would explode and set the whole room in darkness and would give him exactly eight minutes to get to the back room, grab the ingredients, and get to his seat again without bumping into something or someone.

He was fingering the black clump in his pocket, looking around the room to see if anyone was paying him any attention. Everyone was busy with their potions and paying no mind to him at all and Snape was busy with Neville's sad excuse of a potion. Ron slyly took the clump of powder out of his pocket and rolled it down the aisle. Suddenly, a loud bang and several screams from the girls in the class were heard as the room got pitch black and no one could see anything. In all the noise no one noticed Ron who stood up and rushed in the direction of the back room.

It took about half a minute to find the handle but eventually he found it and stepped in just as Snape said, "Just stay in your seats and be quiet so I can think! _Lumos" _Ron understood that Snape must have taken out his wand to light it but nothing could shine through the dark fog. Ron closed the door so not too much powder would slip inside the back room too and turned his focus on finding all the ingredients. He looked up on the many shelves and then looked down at his watch and saw that there were seven minutes to go; he started to walk, reading all the etiquette on the jars as he squeezed himself through the shelves trying to find his necessary ingredients.

He found the _Silverweed _first and then the _Valerian, __Asphodel, Runespoore egg, Wormwood and Scarab beetle_. Lastly, he found the _Crocodile heart, Jobber knoll feather _and the _Knotgrass (_which was in the back of the room as they were rare ingredients). He had taken his list out with all the ingredients he needed. He found them as they were sorted according to their usual potion value and the order he would put them. _Silverweed _was first and then continued onto _The Blood of the Victim _(which was the last one as it was the most valuable and rarest) as every man's blood was unique.

When Ron had stuffed his pockets with the ingredients he needed, he looked down at his watch again and saw that he had a little under two minutes to get out of there and back to his seat before the powder started to clear up and someone would notice him gone. He quickly made it back to the door and opened it; the problem was then that he didn't remember the way back to his seat. _'Oh shit!' _ He thought to himself as he closed the door behind him.

"I swear that when I find out whoever did this, they will never set their foot in Hogwarts again." He heard Snape say to his left a couple of meters in the back of the room. _"Lumos, Lumos, Lumos!" _He was clearly still trying to light his wand to see anything through all the darkness but Ron could only concentrate on finding his own seat again in time. He walked in the direction he thought it was but soon collided with Snape's desk which meant he was too far to the right. He chanced the direction to the left but soon hit the wall. After a while, he finally found his table but unfortunately most of the smoke had cleared away by then.

"Weasley! Didn't I tell you to stay in your seat?" Snape roared at him as he noticed Ron standing up in front of his table.

"Sorry Professor, I stood up before you said that and couldn't find my way back." Ron said as he sat back down in front of his failed potion. Snape just shook his head at him and walked up to his desk and then turned back to the class.

"I will find out what it was and who did it and that person will wish he or she had never done it as they will scrub every cauldron in this school when they get caught! Now class dismissed as we will not get to finish this potion today and have to do it all over in the next lesson. And as a punishment for all of you, you will bring me a two foot parchment about where you find all the ingredients to the potion and how you pluck them. Away with you." Everyone started to gather up their things and started to line up to pour out their unfinished potions. When Ron was done, he took his bag and met up with Harry outside the classroom.

"Wow! Who do you think did it?" Harry asked Ron when he got out and started walking up the stairs up from the dungeons.

"Dunno…maybe Seamus? It seems like a thing he could do right?"

"Nah it wasn't me." Seamus said as he and Dean caught up with them. "But I liked to shake hands with the one who did it."

"What if it was a Slytherin? Would you still want to shake hands with him then?" Ron asked him.

"Ok, no…I wouldn't want that. But why would a Slytherin do it?" He asked in his thick Irish accent. Ron just shrugged and then when he turned from Seamus he found Hermione watching him with both a suspicious and worried twinkle in her tired and sad eyes. Ron held her gaze for a while asking her silently what was wrong but she just turned away and started past them. Did she know what he had done? Did she know that he had stolen ingredients and that it was he who had set off the Darkeness Powder? So what? She had absolutely no proof and wouldn't tell on him if she did, right? Merlin how he missed her; he was sick of her absence from his life and wanted his old Hermione back and knew there was only one way to do that: To prove to her that even if his promises went wrong, he would do everything in his power to make things right again.

It was one o'clock in the morning and Ron was under the invisibility cloak once again carrying his cauldron, which was stuffed with all the ingredients, in his hands. He was walking down corridors of the seventh floor, looking for the wall where The Room of Requirement was hiding. He had taken the Marauders Map with him too so he would see if Filch, Mrs Norris or a teacher was roaming around to catch students out of bed. He knew that Snape was on this floor but was down far on the other end of it.

When he was finally in front of the wall, he paced back and forth as usual and thought 'I need a room to make a potion.' The room was filled with what Ron thought would be every potion book in the world and could only think of how long it would take for Hermione to read every one of them, thinking probably no more than two months. They were stuffed on shelves against the wall but Ron didn't focus on them for very long as he already knew what he needed to know about his potion. Rather, he focused on a giant fire with a gantry over it to hang a cauldron. There were several cauldrons that were better than his stapled on top of each other so he decided to go with one of those instead.

He took off the invisibility cloak and put his cauldron with the ingredients down beside the fire, then took one of the other ones and filled it with water by using _Augamenti_ to hang over the fire. He then started to prepare and chop the _Silverweed_ while the water started to boil. After about 20 minutes, the weed was nice and evenly chopped so Ron put them in the cauldron and watched the water turn slightly darker. He then took the _Valerian _and did the same. This was the only thing he could do today as the _Valerian_ needed three days to boil before it gave any affect to the potion. Even though he couldn't do anything else, he sat there to make sure the fire didn't go out or that nothing went wrong with the potion. He was feeling exhausted and would slumber from time to time but kept his eyes open for most of the time to see that the potion was doing alright.

When the morning came, Ron woke up with his head on one of the shelves with the potions books. His neck cricked when he moved his head and every bone in his body felt sore as he rose to his feet. He checked his watch and noticed that he was very late for class so he checked the potion one last time before he took off to Herbology.

This whole routine of the Room of Requirement and potions continued each day. Every free time (such as breaks, lunch, dinner, evenings and nights), he would spend in the Room of Requirement with the potion, adding each and every ingredient at the precise time so that everything went right as some of the ingredients were similar to the _Valerian _that required days to set in the potion.

The days turned to weeks and soon it was the beginning of December. Ron had never felt more tired or hungry in his life. The only food he ate was when he stopped by the kitchen in the morning to get a sandwich from Dobby; the only sleep he got was from when he fell asleep in class or when he was doing his homework in the Room of Requirement as he kept one eye on the potion. But he had to forget his fatigue and focus on the potion which he was working on currently. Four days ago he had added the _Jobberknoll feather _and was just about to get some poison out of the Basilisk fang he was holding. Exactly three drops and then the potion would stand for two weeks before he added the _Knotgrass _and then it would be done and would hopefully mean that maybe Hermione would have her parents back.

When he was done and had watched the potion turn to the right colour, he decided that he couldn't do any more (as staring at the cauldron was getting tedious), so he rounded up his things and took off to get some much needed sleep in his bed. He didn't get very far though as Ginny caught up with him and dragged him into an empty classroom.

"You know you could just have asked me nicely to come with you." He said as she closed the door.

"Stop it Ron, stop whatever you are doing to yourself. You are worrying everybody- me, Harry and especially Hermione." Ron looked at her teary eyes. Ginny never got teary eyes if there wasn't something really bad that had happened or was happening. "She looks just as tired as you do and has lost weight too. She thinks you blame yourself for what happened to her parents and that you are doing this to yourself and that it is all her fault for yelling at you. Is that true Ron? Is that why you stopped taking care of yourself?" Ron just stared at her. He couldn't believe what Ginny was asking him. Did they really believe that he was starving himself due to self-pity?

"Of course not, Ginny. I'm doing this to make it all better. I'm doing this for Hermione so she will feel better and hopefully, if she still wants me, she'll take me back."

"What? Of course she wants you back, she doesn't say it out loud but haven't you noticed the looks she gives you? It would be odd if you haven't as everyone else has."

"Well, yes I have noticed but I wasn't sure if I just saw what I wanted to see. But if she regrets her words and wants me back, why hasn't she said anything?" He asked her very concerned.

"Because she's afraid that you are so angry with her that you're gonna say no and dump her for good if she tries to apologize you darn buffoon!" She said and put her hands on her hips, imitating their mother.

"What that's just barmy, how could she even think that?"

"Because…you haven't even tried to make contact with her at all for the past month, Ron."

"Yes because I thought she still blamed me for not being good enough to cast a Fidelius Charm on her parent's safe house!"

"Well she doesn't blame you but you have to discuss it with her. All I want to know is that you're not starving yourself because of guilt?"

"No, I'm not starving myself at all; it's just that I'm very busy with something very important."

"Ok, but please start eating again Ron, I've never seen you this skinny and if it goes on I'm afraid I'll have to send after our dear mother to talk some sense into you." Ron shivered at the thought about what his mother would say if she heard about his current eating habits.

"Don't worry Gin I will, and I will soon be done with the thing I'm working on." He said and smiled his most calming smile. She didn't smile back but did something he hadn't expected and therefore almost lost his balance as she hugged him tightly.

"Good because I can't stand to see you like this much longer." And with that she let him go and walked out of the classroom leaving Ron rooted at his spot. Ginny's comment about Hermione still wanting him back, made him even more determined to bring her parents back to her and her to him; unfortunately, that would make the promise he had just made to Ginny very hard to keep. But at least this broken promise was for something good.

Two weeks later he stood behind the cauldron at 3am and dropped the _Knotgrass_ in it. It was almost done and now the only thing he needed was the blood from Mr and Mrs Granger and then it would finally be finished. He could feel the adrenalin that he had running through his body for the last two weeks pump even harder through his blood as he thought to himself,_ 'I must get to St. Mungo's now!'_

**AN: Please tell me what you think!**


	22. Chapter 22

**AN: Thanks for all the fantastic reviews; it's what keeps me going. **

Chapter 22

He grabbed jars from one of the shelves in the room and uncorked them. He proceeded to fill them all with potions before closing them again and then put them in his pocket and into his bag. When he was finished, he grabbed the bag and put on the invisibility cloak before leaving the room; even though he didn't think the cloak mattered (as it didn't cover his feet and his shoes made loud stomps), he figured it still wouldn't hurt to wear it. Besides if he got caught, he wouldn't be able to complete his mission. No, getting caught was absolutely not in the cards; the only thing on his mind was how to get to St. Mungos and to do that he needed to go to Dumbledore.

It took a couple of minutes to get to the floor where Dumbledore's office was as he was so high up in the castle and the office was on the third floor. When he got there, he stopped in front of the gargoyle and took off the cloak.

"Password." Oh crap he had forgotten about that; ok Dumbledore always used some sort of candy as password so he just had to guess it and hope he would get it right eventually.

"Ok let's see eh, lemon drops, no ok…liquorish wand? Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans."

"MR WEALSEY!" Ron froze at the spot and slowly turned around to be met by a very angry Professor McGonagall who was standing at the end of the hall. "What are you doing out of bed at this hour? Thirty points from Gryffindor and go straight back to bed now!" She said as she came up to him.

"Professor I can't, I need to see Professor Dumbledore."

"And what may I ask is so important that it can't wait until morning?" Ron sighed thinking he might as well tell her as he probably had to tell the story to Dumbledore and every freaking Healer at St Mungos before he was allowed to give the potion to anyone.

"I think, no I **know** that I have found the cure for the victims of the Cruciatus Curse. Now can you please tell me the password? I really need to go to St Mungos as quick as possible." He looked up at McGonagall's shocked face. "Please Professor." At that, McGonagall recovered so much from her shock that she moved and turned toward the gargoyle and said,

"Lollipop." Instantly, the gargoyle started to move up and a set of circling stairs appeared under it.

"Really- just lollipop?" Ron mumbled to himself.

"Come on Mr Weasley." McGonagall said and stepped on the stairs with Ron right behind her. When they reached the top, McGonagall knocked on the wooden door and about a minute later it was opened by Professor Dumbledore in pyjamas and a nightgown.

"Minerva, Mr Weasley, what do I owe the pleasure of this late visit?" He spoke with his usual calm voice and a slight smile on his lips. Professor McGonagall turned to Ron as did Dumbledore.

"I-I have found the cure for the victims of the Cruciatus Curse Professor." The smile disappeared from Dumbledore's face.

"Come in." He said and stepped aside to let them in and then closed the door. After that, Dumbledore went around to sit behind his desk while McGonagall conjured two wooden chairs for her and Ron to sit. "Now, Mr Weasley…Take it from the beginning and tell me about this cure." Ron told the whole story once more about the brain that attacked him had once belonged to one called Tyra Powel and that she was one of the victims of the Cruciatus Curse long ago. He told them that the victims' brains were fully functional and that the curse just made them loose the connection between body and brain but that every person was still there inside. He also told them that he had been inside Tyra's brain and followed her through her life as a victim and that she had been working with potions and discovered a potion to get the connection back but was unable to tell anyone. He further continued by telling them how he had heard her thoughts and how the potion should be made and now it was finished.

"That's why I need to get to St Mungo's sir…I need to give it to Hermione's and Neville's parents so they come back to their kids." There was a long silence as Dumbledore was clearly in thought.

"Let me see the potion." He finally said. Ron reached into one of his pockets and took out a jar of the potion and gave it to the headmaster. Dumbledore studied the grey substance closely. Professor McGonagall looked at it too while she conjured a plate filled with sandwiches and motioned for Ron to eat but he just shook his head.

"Mr Weasley if you don't take one I will force them down your throat." Ron quickly took a sandwich with cheese and ham and started to eat it, not doubting a second that the threat was real. "What do you think Albus?" She then asked as she turned back to the headmaster who was still looking at the potion.

"I think this could be a cure for many suffering people now and in the near feature." He said and put the jar down on the desk.

"You really think this will work?"

"Yes I do, now that we know what was wrong it is much easier to understand it and this potion has every ingredient that is needed except for the last one- the blood of the victim which we will go and get now."

"So we are going to St Mungo's sir?" Ron asked feeling more adrenalin pump through his body.

"Yes we are…we'll use the floo." Dumbledore got up and as did Ron and McGonagall.

"Do you want me to go and fetch Miss Granger before we go?" McGonagall asked. No please no. If the potion doesn't work, I won't be able to take seeing her disappointed face again.

"No, if the potion works we will get her but otherwise I don't think we should say anything until we know for sure what will happen." Dumbledore said as he took some floopowder in his hand. "I will go first and go to find the Healer for Mr and Mrs Granger; you will meet me in their room." He said before he turned towards the fireplace and shouted St Mungo's before throwing the floopowder in and stepped right into the green flames.

"After you, Mr Weasley." Ron nodded at McGonagall and stepped up to the fireplace. He took some floopowder and did the same action as Dumbledore. Several fireplaces swished by him but he finally found the one in the lobby. Once he had stepped away from the fireplace and dusted himself off from the soot, he waited for Professor McGonagall to arrive before they started to head towards Mr and Mrs Granger's room.

"Oh and Mr Weasley if this works, I think you've earned those thirty points back and about two hundred more points, I believe." Ron turned and smiled the truest smile he hadn't shown in weeks.

They were soon outside the room after walking up the stairs three floors. Ron opened the door and was met by the same sight the last time. He saw Mr and Mrs Granger laying in each of the two beds in the room; though this time they were moving their heads but were still not paying any attention to the newly arrived people in the room. Ron walked up between the beds with a chair, put it down, sat and took one of Mr and Mrs Granger's hands in each of his.

"Don't worry; hopefully this will be over soon, ok?" Ron said to them because he knew that they could hear him. "I have done everything I can and I think the cure, no I **know **the cure I've found will work, ok? Just don't worry." He let go of their hands as he could feel sweat forming in them and on his forehead, back and his chest. Nervousness started to form inside him and grew with every second that passed. He had to look away from Hermione's parents as he didn't want them to see how unsure he had suddenly become. He went to stand by the window and looked down on the busy Muggles that passed on the street. _'What if it doesn't work? What if he had made the potion all wrong; mixed up the ingredient's and maybe made a poison instead of a cure? What if Tyra Powel had missed something or everything about it was just wrong and there was just no cure for it at all?'_

"Mr Weasley." Ron turned around and saw Mr and Mrs Granger's healer, Healer Kuznicki with Professor Dumbledore behind him. "Professor Dumbledore has made an impression that you've discovered a cure for the... effects of the Cruciatus Curse." Ron heard the sceptical tone in his voice and even a hint of laughter.

"Y-Yes." He stuttered. "I mean I think so."

"Please tell Healer Kuznicki the whole story like you told us." Professor Dumbledore said and took a seat in one of the visitor's seats. Ron told the story once again but not with as much confidence. When he was done, the Healer was just staring at him before he burst out laughing.

"You actually believe this Albus? A young boy telling you a story about him having dreams about a long dead patient?" The Healer said and turned to face the headmaster.

"Yes I do Robb and I think we should give it a try; we just need your consent and then we can give it to them and see if this will save several lives in the future." Dumbledore answered.

"Don't you think any Healer would have thought of this and realised this and thought of this potion and just throw away the idea as being no good? We are Healers for Merlin's sake and some do this for a living."

"Like Tyra Powel did, though she knew one thing no other Healer has ever known and that is that it's not the brain that has gone insane as every Healer here thought; therefore, they just tried to get a cure for, pardon my words, craziness. It was the connection between body and brain that was broken and Healer Tyra Powel knew this as she was one of the victims and found out a cure as she worked with finding new potions every day. Mr Weasley was attacked by her brain in the Ministry which made him see not dreams, but visions of what she thought about after the attack on her and how she discovered the cure. So yes I truly believe this will work." Healer Kuznicki just stared at Dumbledore for a while in shock. Ron could see that he had taken in Dumbledore's words and his face turned angry as he understood the insults he had expressed to the Healers. But apparently he ignored them as he just turned away from them all to ponder the news. Ron couldn't believe how much Dumbledore believed in this, in him. This made Ron's hopes grow a bit again and really hoped the Healer would take Dumbledore's words at face value. After almost ten minutes of silent waiting, Healer Kuznicki turned back around and said,

"Fine you can do it as I can't see how it would harm the patients as these are pretty harmless ingredients- but the Basilisk poison. In order to counteract any poisonous side effects, we have Phoenix tears here in the hospital on stand-by… Just let me get them and we can then begin." The Healer stepped out of the room but soon returned again with a small jar in his hands that must have been the Phoenix tears. "You can begin when you are ready Mr Weasley." Ron nodded at him and took a deep breath to try and ease his nerves before he turned to face the Grangers and stepped between the beds once more.

He started with taking out one of his potions' jars and moved over to begin with Mrs Granger. He reached under her covers, picked up her left arm and placed it on top of it. "This is going to sting a bit Mrs Granger." He said though she wasn't looking at him. He took her hand to cut her palm as he needed three drops of blood from her for the potion to work. It was then he realised that he didn't have anything to cut with and wasn't allowed to use magic. "Eh I need someone to make a small cut in her hand so that I can get some drops of her blood in the potion." He said and turned to his Professors and the Healer. McGonagall stepped forward and pointed her wand at the palm of Mrs Granger and said _"Diffindo!" _which made a small cut appear like he wanted.

He put the jar under her hand and tipped it so the blood would drop into it. When he got the three drops, he took the jar away and asked the Healer to heal the cut. He then did the same with Mr Granger, but with a different jar, and then asked the Healer to heal him too. The potion was now fully complete. "How will we get them to swallow?"

"Pour the potion and massage their throats at the same time." Healer Kuznicki said and walked towards him. "I can take one if you want so it will be done at the same time." Ron nodded and gave him Mr Granger's jar and then went to stand next to Mrs Granger's bed. "Ok on three, one... two... three." Ron poured the potion with his left hand and massaged her throat with his right and could feel her swallow beneath his fingers. When the jars were empty, they stepped away and walked over to the ends of the beds where Dumbledore and McGonagall stood.

At first, nothing happened but then both their eyes snapped shut at the same time. Ron couldn't move. He couldn't breathe because of his nerves and the tension in the room. Everything was quiet, as you could hear a pin drop on the floor and a deaf person would hear it. Then suddenly, their eyes opened again and started to look around. But they were not vacant like before; now it looked as though they were searching for something or someone. When they finally settled on each other, they held their gazes for a long time before Mr Granger suddenly flew up and over to his wife's bed and hugged and kissed her. Both of them were crying and Ron could hear Mr Granger telling her that everything was alright.

Then they both turned to Ron and looked with their red watery eyes and smiled at him as he felt all the tension in his body that had been there for several weeks now just come off him in relief. As the toll his body had taken due to the lack of sleep and hunger caught up with him, he felt the darkness come over him.

"Ron." He closed his eyes and started to fall. He barely heard the scream of his name from Mrs Granger and didn't remember hitting the ground as he lost consciousness.

His head was resting on a big fluffy pillow. His body was wrapped in soft, warm sheets and was lying on nice mattress. He had no idea how he had came to lay in this bed as the last thing he remembered was that he had been going to Dumbledore's office in the middle of the night. _'Oh and thank Merlin that the potion is finally ready so I don't need to get up yet.' _He thought and snuggled deeper into his pillow while wrapping the sheets a little tighter around himself. Ron flew up to a sitting position as his memories came racing back: How he had gone to Dumbledore and told him that he had created a potion to cure Hermione's parents… how he had told the story of how he came by the recipe for the potion… how they had travelled with Professor McGonagall to St Mungo's and had to tell the story all over again to Healer Kuznicki before he was allowed to give it to Mr and Mrs Granger. Then the last thing he remembered was the Grangers opening their eyes before everything went black.

Ron was probably still in St Mungo's, but the bed he was in was surrounded with drapes. Then he felt something in his left hand that was lying on the bed beside him. He looked down and saw a hand in his. He followed the arm it was attached to and then looked up in the most beautiful eyes he knew- Hermione's eyes. They stared at each other without saying anything. Ron saw in her eyes relief, worry and nervousness, and decided that he had to do something to relieve the tension. He half smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Hey." He said and he saw her relax a bit, squeezing his hand back.

"Hey." Ever since he had talked to Ginny he had surely thought she would tell Hermione what he had said to her and that Hermione in return would want to talk to him. But Hermione hadn't searched him out or stopped him after one of their classes as Ron had been too busy with the potion and had focused on that so much that he had nearly forgotten about his and Ginny's talk. But now that she was sitting here he wondered if Ginny had said anything. Based on the confusing looks each one was giving the other, it was clear that Ginny had not said anything.

But that conversation would have to wait for now as all he wanted to do was clear the air between them and the best way to do that was to not speak at all for the moment. Therefore, he let go of her hand and held out both of his arms to motion for her to come into them. She just stared at him for a second but he could see every change in her face and see the water in her eyes as she started to cry before giving a gasp and throwing herself in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry Ron. I didn't mean a thing of what I said- I was so upset and I just wanted to blame someone for what happened to them and of course I blamed the one who I loved the most. Please believe me Ron, please don't be mad at me anymore..." She cried into his shoulder as she had curled up beside him in his bed.

"Didn't Ginny tell you anything? I'm not mad at you, Hermione." He said as he backed away a bit from their hug but still kept his hands on her shoulders as he talked to her face to face. "I was never mad at you. I just thought that you still blamed me for not keeping my promise to keep your parents safe. And believe me Hermione- I never told a soul about their safe house. Heck, I still haven't told anyone about it but the point is useless now." He said.

"I know that you never would have done that and I knew you never did as Dumbledore said so to me. But if you weren't mad at me then why didn't you act on the looks I gave you in the library?" She asked as her crying had calmed a bit.

"I thought I only saw the apology because I wanted to, that I had imagined it there." She shook her head at him.

"I regretted what I said to you the second you stepped out of the door to my parent's room."

"I'm sorry I didn't believe what I saw." Even though her face was wet and her eyes were red and puffy from her tears, the smile that she gave him after waving his apology away was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

"You have nothing to apologise for. I just want to know if you can come back and be my boyfriend again-please?" He felt his lopsided grin form on his lips as he answered,

"I never stopped being your boyfriend, 'Mione. We just had a fight. Did you stop being my girlfriend?" She smiled even more and leaned forward.

"Not for a second." She said before their lips met for the first time in one and a half months. Both moaned as their lips met and it didn't take very long before their tongues were battling each other for possession. His hands had wrapped themselves around her and had brought her body with him as he lay back down on the bed, never breaking contact with her wonderful lips. She immediately straddled his legs and put her hands on his chest, stroking it up and down his borrowed pyjamas. Ron's hands finally found their way under her shirt and up her back, massaging her every muscle before finding her bra and unclasping it. He brought them to her front and started to gently massage her breasts under the loose bra. She moaned into his mouth as he pinched her erect nipples and her hips grounded against his like a reflex. He was hard like a rock and had to restrain himself from ripping off all the barriers between them and take her right there as he had been really sad that they never got to have that special end of their perfect Halloween day. But he knew they couldn't do it here as he didn't want their first time to be in one of St Mungo's hospital beds and was therefore kind of relieved when Hermione broke the connection of their lips and backed away about an inch from his face.

He half-opened his eyes to see that she had hers still closed and was breathing really heavy like him when she said panting,

"Ron, as much as I want you right here and right now we have to stop. My parents are sleeping just behind those drapes and I really want to be at least behind a silencing charm when we do it." She opened her eyes to look at him but didn't move an inch and was still out of breath. "But I promise that as soon as we go back to the castle- the day will end like it should have on Halloween."

"Are you sure? Don't you think we should wait a bit before we do that now, to let things get back to normal first?"

"No. I want to prove my love for you, prove that you are the only one I loved, the only one I love NOW and the only one I will ever love. I am so sorry for all of this Ron; I wanted to run after you as soon as you left this room but my pride and stubbornness stood in the way. Can we please promise each other that we talk to each other after we fight and things have cooled down?"

"So there won't be misunderstandings like this? Yes, I think that is something we should promise each other." He smiled and kissed her again but just a quick one this time and she smiled back.

"I really want you Ron and I want this." She said and pointed between them.

"I want this too 'Mione, and I really want you." He said and laid his forehead against hers. "So as soon as we are back at Hogwarts, yeah?" He felt his lopsided grin spread across his cheeks. She grinned too and said with a chuckle,

"Yes, as soon as we are back." They snogged again but softly this time and soon Hermione was snuggled up to his side as they were about to fall asleep when Ron flew up once more, catching Hermione by her shoulders before she fell off the bed. He gently put her on her back against the small bed before whispering in a harsh tone,

"Oh Merlin, how's your parents? Did the potion work or did it poison them?" It took a while for Hermione's shocked face to slowly turn into another grin and her eyes started to water up once more.

"It w-worked a-a-and I-I can't b-believe h-how you d-did it." She stuttered as her tears started to fall back on the pillow. "No Healer has ever been near to finding a cure for the Cruciatus Curse and here comes you, a Hogwarts student who did find one. I thought I would spend my whole life as an orphan, and YOU saved my parents after only one and a half months of research." Ron could feel himself blush all over his body. "How Ron, how did you do it?"

"Well everything came from Tyra Powel; I just had to brew the potion that she had come up with." He said in a sheepish way, shrugging his shoulders. Hermione was just shaking her head as she moved so that he could lie down again. When they were snuggled up together again, he was hugging her close to his body as she laid her head on his chest.

"Ron you don't take enough credit and you know it." She looked up at him as he blushed again.

"Well, maybe I found out a few things on my own." Hermione smiled and closed her eyes as she burrowed her nose deeper in his chest and inhaled his scent. Just as Ron was about to sleep, he heard a muffled voice and felt Hermione's lips move softly against his chest.

"Weasley is my king! And my hero!" He looked down at her, shocked at what she had just said and saw her smiling into his chest with closed eyes. He smiled back very pleased with himself and felt that he was happy once again.

**AN: So there it is, finally back with each other and Mr and Mrs Granger are well again.**

**Please tell me what you think of this chapter, I really want to know!**

**I don't know how many chapters I will be able to post before I take a vacation to Lido di Jesolo and Venice Italy from 27 f Jun to 9 of July. I think chap 23 will be up and I will be writing chap 24 on the bus on my way down and back from Italy so I'll have it ready for you when I get back. **


	23. Their Mornings

**AN: Ok here it is and it starts with my first Harry Pov. Hope you like it!**

Chapter 23: Their Mornings

Harry stepped out of the fireplace to St Mungo's where Mr and Mrs Weasley were waiting for him and Ginny like they had yesterday; though this time Mr Weasley didn't have to hold Mrs Weasley back from rushing to their hurt son and try to calm her down so the receptionist wouldn't call for the Aurors to come and get and lock her up.

Yesterday when he had woken up, he had immediately noticed the absence of his best friend as his bed had been totally untouched the previous night. Though Ron had gone to bed and then gotten up before everyone else sometimes, Harry could always tell that he had at least slept a few hours in his bed as his sheets were always tangled in the morning. When he had walked down to the Common Room he was met up by Ginny who was slightly out of breath.

"I can't find Hermione; she's not in her dorm, nor in the library or at breakfast. Can you please check for her on the map you have so that I can make sure that she's off somewhere moping around by herself." She said with what sounded like a hint of anger and annoyance in her voice.

"Yeah sure, wait, how do you know about the map?" He asked her.

"The twins told me about it when they had taken it from old Filch's office. Now, can you go up and check." She put her hands on her hips in a very good Mrs Weasley imitation.

"Alright I'm going." He went back up the stairs and took out the map from his trunk and looked through it. That was really weird; Hermione was nowhere to be seen nor was Ron. Harry went down again and told Ginny his news.

"Really?" She said shockingly, seeming to have forgotten what she was angry about. "Do you think they're off together in the Room of Requirement, as that doesn't show on the map, and sorting things out between them?"

"Dunno, but I hope so. Even though I was not particularly fond of seeing them snog each other's faces every night on the Common Room couch, I was really happy for them. They really deserve each other."

"Yeah I know. Should we spy on them?" Her brown eyes lit up with mischief and Harry found himself thinking for a second that they were really beautiful before he mentally shook his head and looked away from them and answered her.

"No I don't think we should. Let's just go down to the Great Hall and get some breakfast."

"Aw you're no fun. Alright let's go but it's just because I haven't eaten yet and I'm starving."

"You truly are Ron's sister, aren't you?" He said and laughed though it was short lived as Ginny gave him a hard punch on his arm.

"You just watch yourself Potter." She said and laughed as he rubbed the aching spot on his arm. Harry tried to punch her back but missed as she started running down to the Great Hall as he ran after her, laughing the whole way.

They just stopped when they were at the doors, both out of breath trying desperately to catch it as they were bent over their knees.

"Wow... Ginny... you are... pretty fast." He said between breaths.

"You're... not so... bad... yourself." She said and leaned against the wall. Just then Seamus and Dean walked out of the Great Hall.

"Did you see our points?" Seamus asked them happily.

"No we haven't gotten to the Hall yet. Why?" Ginny asked them.

"We're leading with almost two hundred points over Slytherin!" Dean said just as happily.

"What? But we were behind them with 33 points just yesterday; do you know what's happened?" Harry asked happily shocked.

"No idea but it must have been really, really good!" Dean said.

"Well come on Harry I want to see." Ginny took him by his arm and dragged him inside. Harry looked up at the points just to see that Seamus and Dean were right. Yesterday the Gryffindors had 131 points and now they were up to 361, almost as much as a house would have at the end of the year.

"Who do you think would have earned so many points last night?"Harry asked.

"I don't know, but let's discuss it over breakfast."They looked around for seats when they suddenly heard a voice calling.

"Harry!" Someone shouted behind him and he saw Hannah waving at him to come over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Come on Ginny, let's sit with Hannah by the Hufflepuff table." At this, Ginny's face turned from happy to annoyed in a second and Harry wondered once again what was bothering her but didn't ask as she just said fine and walked in front of him to the table.

"Hi Ginny." Hannah cheerfully greeted Ginny as she sat across from her.

"Hey Hannah," Ginny said without any enthusiasm while not meeting the other girl's eyes. Harry chose to ignore her bitterness and sat beside Hannah after kissing her on her cheek. "Actually I think I see some of my friends in my year sitting over at the Gryffindor table and I think I should sit over there." But Ginny barely had time to get up before another voice was heard.

"Miss Weasley, Mr Potter." Harry turned to see Professor McGonagall walking very quickly towards them. "There you are." She said when she reached them. "I thought the Gryffindor table was for the Gryffindors and not the Hufflepuff's table. But enough about that, Miss Weasley and Mr Potter please come with me." She didn't give them any time to protest as she just turned around and walked off again. Ginny immediately got up and walked after McGonagall while Harry turned to Hannah and gave an apologetic smile, but she just kissed it away as he stood up to follow McGonagall and Ginny. When he caught up with them, they were already out of the Great Hall and on their way up the stairs. Harry walked up beside Professor McGonagall and asked,

"Has something happened Professor? Is it Voldemort or something else?" He saw Ginny shudder when he spoke the name but ignored it.

"Do not use that name here Mr Potter if you please. It may upset many students. And as a matter of fact something has happened..."

"Does it involve the extreme amount of points we've gotten?" Ginny interrupted.

"Yes it does and if you would let me speak, I could explain things." McGonagall said and glared at Ginny who looked away with shame. "Last night I found Mr Weasley trying to enter the Headmaster's office. After explaining what he was doing there in the middle of the night, I let him in and walked with him up to see the Headmaster. It turned out that he had discovered a potion that could bring back the victims of the Cruciatus Curse. He told Professor Dumbledore about it and we all flooed to St Mungo's. Professor Dumbledore and Mr Weasley had convinced the Healers to test it on Mr and Mrs Granger, and as result, the potion worked."

"Wait you mean...?" Harry's voice trailed off as he was too shocked to do anything else and both Ginny (who was just standing there with a face that expressed utter disbelief) and he had stopped walking.

"Miss Granger has gotten her parents back." McGonagall said with a big smile on her face as she turned to the stunned teenagers. But her smile disappeared again as she kept talking. "But this had sadly taken a big toll on Mr Weasley as he had barely been eating or sleeping. He passed out at the lack of nutrition after he saw that Henry and Monica would be fine." Ginny gasped and took a hold on Harry's hand which Harry squeezed to give some sort of comfort.

"Is he gonna be ok?" She asked with a shaky voice.

"Yes don't worry Miss Weasley, a couple of meals and a good rest will do some good for him and will bring him back to normal. Now come on, I'm going to get you to the Headmaster's office so we can floo from there to St Mungo's where your parents are waiting Miss Weasley." They walked off again with Ginny still clutching Harry's hand, who didn't mind at all. Harry and Ginny flooed to St Mungo's and were met by a hysterical Mrs Weasley who was crying and screaming at her husband to let her go and find their son.

"Calm down Molly, we have to wait for Ginny and Harry." Mr Weasley said.

"It's ok mum, we're here now." Ginny said and walked over to her parents.

"Good, now can we get going Arthur?" Mrs Weasley hissed at her husband.

"Yes let's go, he's in the same room as Hermione's parents." Mr Weasley said and Harry understood that he was just as anxious to get to Ron as his wife as he used his long legs to its fullest when they started to walk. They all kept up with him and soon they all found themselves outside Mr and Mrs Granger's room. Ginny slowly turned the handle and they all quietly stepped in. What they were met with was a bed at the end of the room with curtains drawn around it. Besides that, though, were Mr and Mrs Granger sitting in two pushed together beds chatting quietly. Harry and the Weasleys walked in and they looked up and smiled at the people entering. Mrs Weasley's focus was on only one thing when she walked straight to the bed with curtains and dove behind them as they heard a slight gasp from her, but Mr Weasley walked to Hermione's parents first.

"Oh Monica." He said and hugged Mrs Granger who was closest to the door and he then shook Mr Granger's hand. "Henry, we are so glad that you are all right. I'm sorry for my wife but she just wanted to see Ron."

"Thank you Arthur." Mr Granger said. "And we totally understand; you don't have to apologise at all. Hermione is also in there with him."

"You should go to him too; it was really awful to see him collapse and see him feeling so hurt just for us." Mrs Granger said.

"Well, and Hermione." Ginny added nonchalantly.

"Hush Ginny." Mr Weasley scolded his daughter but the Grangers only laughed.

"Yes I think it was especially hard for Hermione and she could not have found a better man who would do anything to be with her." Mrs Granger said when they had calmed down. Harry, Ginny and Mr Weasley walked over to the curtains that were surrounding Ron's bed. When they opened them up, they were met by a pale and skinny looking Ron with dark circles under his eyes. He looked peacefully though as he was in a deep sleep, snoring slightly. Hermione and Mrs Weasley were sitting in a chair on each side of him; Hermione on his left and Mrs Weasley on his right, holding each of his hands in one of their own.

Mr Weasley walked behind his wife and put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them slightly. Ginny walked behind Hermione and they both hugged each other, Hermione with one arm as she didn't want to let go of Ron's hand. Harry also walked over to her and hugged her after Ginny whispering to her that everything would be alright. They all stood there around Ron's bed for a while, just looking at the pale boy who had probably saved so many lives in the future. After about thirty minutes, Mr Weasley spoke to his wife.

"Come on Molly. Let's talk to the Healer and see when they think Ron will recover and go back to school." Mrs Weasley nodded and kissed her youngest son's forehead before they both walked out. Ginny then walked over and took over her mother's chair.

"Can you believe what he has really done? I mean he has found a cure for a curse that not even Healers could find. Who would have ever thought Ron would ever do that?" Ginny said with a chuckle which was obviously the wrong thing to do as Hermione looked at her sharply.

"Maybe if you would have a little bit more faith in him you would finally see how brilliant he really is." She spat at Ginny.

"Hey I didn't really see you having much faith these last couple of weeks either, so don't you come here and tell me how to treat him when you were just as bad." Ginny spat back and straightened up in her chair to defend herself. Harry saw the fire in Ginny's caramel eyes and the word beautiful went through his mind before he shook his head and decided to stop them before it got out of hand and they would get kicked out of the room.

"Ok stop!" He said and raised his hands in a stopping gesture to them both. "We are in a hospital and I don't want any of us to be kicked out of it. Maybe all of us should get a grip and show a bit more faith and respect for Ron." He saw both girls lean back in their chairs though their faces were staring down at the floor told him that they were still angry at each other. Hermione was the first one to look up and her eyes wandered to Ron's face and hers immediately softened and looked back at Ginny.

"I'm sorry Ginny. I'm angry and disappointed at myself… not you. I'm so angry at the words I said to him and for him to go and do something... like this." She motioned with her hand at her parents on the other side of the drapery. She then looked back at Ron and seemed to forget that Harry and Ginny were there. "I can't believe you would do something like this after I treated you so horribly." She lifted his hand to her face and kissed it. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too Hermione." Ginny said smiling over to the older girl before she turned back to her slightly snoring brother and smiled at him too. "Let's all agree to give him some more credit from now on." Harry nodded at this as did Hermione.

They sat there for hours. Different Healers would come to check on Ron or Mr and Mrs Granger and at one point they had to leave and wait in the hall as the Healers took several tests on Mr and Mrs Granger to see if they were really alright. This didn't come without many protests from Hermione who really didn't want to leave Ron's side; she wanted to be there when he opened his eyes. Eventually they met her half way and told her she could stay through the night as her parents were also there. They had been waiting for almost two and a half hours when they were let back in. By this time Mr and Mrs Weasley were back and had taken them all for a bite to eat in the cafeteria before they went back to wait in the hall again.

This was several hours ago and it was almost the end of visiting time when Mr Granger spoke to his daughter.

"I know that I've asked this the whole night sweetheart but are you sure that you don't want to return to Hogwarts and get some sleep? Ron will still be here tomorrow and two days after that too." They had drawn back the drapes so that they could still sit and keep an eye on Ron and talk to Hermione's parents.

"Yes you have already asked me that and my answer is the same. I'm staying here, I need to be here when he wakes up and the Healers said that he would probably do that tonight."

"I know- I just wanted you to get some sleep as you look like you haven't gotten much more than Ron has these past weeks."

"I'm fine dad I promise. I'll sleep in the chair if I have to."

"Well Molly, I think we need to go now and same goes for you, Ginny and Harry." Mr Weasley said. "But I'm sure Professor Dumbledore would let you come back tomorrow and see him." He added when he saw Harry and Ginny open their mouth to protest.

"We really appreciate that you will stay with him Hermione." Mrs Weasley said and pulled the girl in for a bone crushing hug. When she let her go, she turned to her sleeping son and kissed him on the forehead and wished him a good night before she turned to walk with her husband to the door.

"Good night Henry, Monica. I guess we'll see you tomorrow too." Mr Weasley said.

"Yes we will and good night to you too, Arthur and Molly." Mr Granger said.

"Harry, Ginny, we'll meet you back at the fireplace." Mrs Weasley said before she and Mr Weasley left. Ginny stood up and hugged her brother before kissing him on the cheek which made him snort in his sleep.

"Good night Ron- see you in the morning." She then hugged Hermione and said the same thing while Harry took Ron's hand and squeezed it.

"See you in the morning mate." He then turned to Hermione, hugged her and said. "Get him back." He let go of her and saw her nod before he turned to go with Ginny. They both said good night to Mr and Mrs Granger before they headed back to the fireplaces and to Hogwarts.

It was close to midnight and Hermione was still in the same chair she had been in all day, well except when they had to go out in the hall and wait for her parents to be examined. She hadn't slept at all; she couldn't, even though she told her father that she would. She wanted to be awake when the wonderful sleeping man in front of her woke up. She couldn't believe what he had done. She had shouted the most hurtful things at him when her parents had been tortured in the safe house. She knew that Ron hadn't told anyone about the house but she wanted someone to blame right there and it was easiest to blame the person she loved the most. She had regretted it and wanted to run back into his arms the moment he walked out of the very same room she was in now. But her pride had stopped her from apologising to him. That had to stop now. If she wanted to be with Ron she had to put her pride away and learn to apologise to him too. She thought back on the night before.

_It was about 04:00 am and she was asleep and for once she had a quite calm night with no nightmares of Death Eaters torturing her parents when she was woken up by someone shaking her shoulder._

"_Miss Granger I need you to wake up." Someone said but Hermione really didn't want to wake up now as she was finally getting some sleep and therefore she just turned over to face the other side. "Miss Granger it is really important that you wake up, it's about your parents."Hermione's eyes flew open and she felt wide awake as she sat up straight in her bed just to be met by Professor McGonagall's calm, smiling face though Hermione didn't see it as she was feeling the opposite. She crawled up on her knees on top of her sheets as she asked worriedly and with tears forming in her eyes._

"_What's happened Professor? Are they alright? Can you please take me to them?"_

"_Calm down Miss Granger." McGonagall said putting her hands up to stop her from talking though she was still smiling. "You don't have to worry- nothing bad has happened. I will take you to them so please put some clothes on and meet me in the Common Room and I will explain all to you on the way." With that she turned around and was almost at the door when she said. "Miss Brown and Miss Patil can go back to sleep as you will know nothing more about this tonight and I will take points from you if I hear so much as a whisper about it tomorrow." With that she was gone and Hermione heard gasps come from her dorm mates but didn't think much of it as she immediately got out of bed and started to put some clothes on. When she was done, she rushed down the stairs, not caring if she woke up the whole castle, and ten seconds later she found herself almost face to face with Professor McGonagall._

"_Can you please tell me now Professor what has happened?" She asked slightly out of breath._

"_I will Miss Granger, let's walk to the Headmaster's office as we will floo from the fireplace there." They were out of the Common Room and were wandering down the halls towards the Dumbledore's office when Professor McGonagall spoke again. "This may come to you as a shock Miss Granger but your parents are awake." It did come as a shock as Hermione stopped walking and just stared dumbfounded at the Transfiguration Professor. McGonagall in return stopped to take a few steps in front of her when she noticed that Hermione wasn't following her anymore and turned around to look back at her._

"_E-excuse me b-but what do y-you mean a-awake?" She stuttered as she found a bit of her voice. Professor McGonagall walked back to her and put a hand on her shoulder as she smiled._

"_I mean that your parents are back to normal. They have been cured." Hermione clapped her hands over her mouth and she felt tears well up in her eyes once again._

"_B-but how?" She said and lowered her hands._

"_Let's keep on walking and I will explain." They started to walk again with McGonagall's hand still on her shoulder. "Apparently Mr Weasley has been working on a potion, a potion to help cure the victims of the Cruciatus Curse." Hermione was about to stop in shock again but this time McGonagall pushed her on with the help of the hand on her shoulder. _

_Ron. Ron had cured her parents. Her parents that should have been lost to her forever as they had been tortured to insanity were back. A symptom many had tried to cure through the years, he had discovered in one and a half months, but how? OF COURSE! "Professor, did it have to do with some of his dreams or visions he had?" She asked as they rounded the corner to the hall were the gargoyle stood that led to Dumbledore's office._

"_Ah you knew about those. Yes it did, he told us all about them and it was there he got it." Professor McGonagall spoke the password and the stairs under the gargoyle started to rise and Hermione and McGonagall stepped on. "It took a while before Professor Dumbledore and Mr Weasley could convince the Healers to let them try it but they did and it worked._

"_I-is Ron still there?" She asked suddenly very nervous as she wasn't quite ready to meet him just jet._

"_Well yes but he is sleeping as he has been laid in the hospital too."_

"_WHAT?" She shouted feeling like her world was crashing down on her. She stopped once again as she felt dizzy and had to lean on the wall for support so she wouldn't fall down the stairs and felt McGonagall take a firmer grip on her shoulder._

"_Miss Granger you do not have to worry. Mr Weasley is sleeping in one bed beside your parents as he collapsed of exhaustion when he saw that they would be alright. He will stay at St Mungo's for a couple of days until he has fully recovered." Hermione felt the dizziness disappear as air filled her lungs which she didn't even realise that she had been holding a breath. She nodded at the Professor and they kept walking until they were inside the office. Both Hermione and McGonagall flooed to St Mungo's and walked the halls up to her parents' room which she had done many times now as she had visited them almost every morning from when they got there. _

_When they stood outside the room it suddenly hit her that this time they wouldn't stare in another direction when she walked in. This time they would look at her, talk to her and hug her back when she hugged them. She felt silent tears stream down her cheeks as she opened the door. Both her parents were sitting up in their now pushed together beds. They were silently talking to each other but they looked up at the door and smiled as their daughter walked into the room._

_Hermione just stared at them and their smiling faces- smiles that she never thought she would see again. Her mother, who was closest to the door, reached out her hands for Hermione in a motion for her to come and hug her. Hermione's silent tears weren't so silent anymore as she gave up a loud yelp and rushed into her mother's arms and cried very loudly. Her father took one of her hands in both of his and kissed it and Hermione looked up at him and saw that he was crying too, her mother too as she could hear her and feel her shake. They all sat there like this for several minutes before Hermione finally pulled away a bit from her mother's embrace just to look at her and her father._

"_What happened?" She asked them as her tears had subsided a bit and she found her voice again._

"_It was all my fault." Her father said._

"_No it wasn't Henry." Her mother said and put a hand over her father's that was still holding Hermione's. "We were both tired of being in the house all the time and _both _of us_..." she looked over to her husband when she said that. "... _decided that we would get some fresh air just by stepping out on the backside. They came from nowhere and stunned us before they dragged us back to the house where... where they... did that." He finished with a shudder and Hermione saw her father squeeze her hand. Hermione hugged her mother again and then turned to do the same to her father._

"_That was a stupid thing to do and you are supposed to be smart people." She said when she let them go. "You're not supposed to go out if you are in a safe house. I thought I had lost you both." She felt fresh tears slip down her cheeks. Her mother wiped them away._

"_We're so sorry for this Hermione but luckily for us you have a really great boyfriend." At this Hermione remembered Ron and looked around to see a bed with drapes drawn around it. She just sat there and looked at it. Should she go in? She wanted to but didn't really know if he did. "Hermione go. The doc... I mean the Healers told us that no one had ever been able to cure this but Ron did, and he did it for you, to get you back. He knows that you don't blame him deep down but you have to prove it to him."_

"_So you heard that didn't you?" Hermione said not looking at her parents as she was ashamed._

"_We heard every word that was spoken in this room; it was just our bodies that refused to do as our brains told them to." Her father said. _

"_Go and sit with him, he wants that just as much as you." Hermione thought about it a bit longer before she nodded and stood up to go over to the draped drawn bed. She opened the drape and understood that a silencing charm had been cast over it as snores were heard from Ron when she stepped in. He lay on his back with his mouth slightly open; his eyes were sunken in a bit and had very dark circles under them. She sat down beside him in one of the chairs and took his skinny hand in hers. Tears were once again streaming down her face as she whispered for the first time that day._

"_I'm so sorry." She kissed his hand and the waited for him to wake up began._

All day she had been wondering what she would say to him when he woke up. I'm sorry? Please come back to me? Don't leave me? No nothing sounded right. It was now close to 01:00 am and she could feel her eyes getting heavy; she would just lie down her head for a bit on Ron's bed and close her eyes. She must have fallen asleep because the next time she looked at the clock it was over 03:00 and she had been woken with a start. When she looked up from the clock she saw that Ron was sitting up in his bed looking around the room trying to see where he was. Then he looked down at her and her tongue was stuck in her mouth as she was really afraid what his first word would be to her in one and a half months. Then all her muscles relaxed and relief filled her body when she felt him squeeze her hand and he said,

"Hey."

**AN: Right tell me what you think!**

**As you know I'm going to Italy (I'm actually on the bus right now and will be for a long, long time, about 48 hours) and therefore I won't be able to post in a while. But I will still be writing there and hopefully a chapter will be done when I get back, if I don't fall asleep on the beach every day of course ;)**

**Thanks to my Beta!**


	24. Many Thanks and Almost a Credit Thief

**AN: I know and I'm so sorry it took so long to get this up, I confess that I was spending more time on the beach than writing =) And I didn't have the time to finish it before my beta went on a vacation too. I had really fun writing this and I hope you have fun reading it.**

24 Many Thanks and Almost a Credit Thief

Ron woke up a couple of hours later feeling very well rested, which he hadn't done in a very long time. He knew that it all was because of the warm body of Hermione that laid pressed to him with her head on his chest, her arm over his stomach and her left leg over both of his. Ron made his arms, that were wrapped around her squeeze her body closer to him and sighed ready to fall back to sleep. However, the body he was holding seemed to have a different idea as he felt the hand on his stomach wander under his pyjama shirt and up to his chest where it started to rub lazy circles. He looked down just to be met by the two most beautiful brown eyes staring up at him. She was also smiling at him and he just wanted to stare at her and really print this moment into his brain.

"You are so beautiful." He didn't mean to say that but when a blush spread over her cheeks he understood that he must have spoken it out loud. He felt his ears heat up but he smiled as she lifted herself up on her elbows and leaned forward to kiss him softly. Well, actually, it started out softly but as soon as Ron started to nibble a bit on her bottom lip, she opened her mouth to invite him in and the kiss grew more passionate.

While their tongues battled each other, Ron took his hands and started roaming them up and down her back and soon went under her shirt, massaging her muscles. He noticed that she didn't have a bra on as he couldn't feel the stripes on her back. This made him groan in her mouth and he could feel his pj pants get a bit too tight. It grew even tighter when his hands slipped around to her front and gently cupped and squeezed her perfect breasts.

He felt more than heard her moan into his mouth as he gently pinched her nipples. It resulted in her rising up to straddle his waist, sitting right down on his erection. There was no way Hermione hadn't noticed it by now as the only things that were separating them were the cotton of their pyjama pants which were so thin you could practically feel everything.

"Oh Merlin!" He moaned and let go of her mouth as she grounded her hips on him.

"Like that did you?" She whispered huskily in his ear.

"Yes." He said but regretfully put his hands on her hips to still them as she seemed to have forgotten something. "But your parents are still on the other side of the curtain and I don't find it particularly good to go from their "hero" to a man they want to kill for doing improper things with their daughter." This made Hermione giggle and that made Ron shocked as he didn't hear that often.

"Oh stop looking at me like I'm crazy. It's your entire fault I'm acting like a little teenager in love." She said and sat up but was still straddling him and hadn't moved her hips away from his erection which made it hard for him to get it down.

"You are a little teenager in love." He said and smiled up at her. She smiled back at him and said,

"Yes I am and I can't tell you how much I missed you. I'm so sorry Ron." Ron sat up a bit and put his hand under her chin to make her look at him as she had suddenly found his sheets very interesting.

"Stop apologising already." He said when she was looking at him again. "I never thought I would get sick of hearing you apologise to me for a change, but honestly, I am. Let's just forget about this and move on ok?" He moved his hand to her cheek as she smiled again. He pulled her down a bit and their lips were glued to each other once more. Hermione grabbed his hand which were still on her hip and then took the other one which was on her thigh and moved them up to her breasts again before she let go of his lips and said,

"Don't worry about my parents. I told you that I had imperturbable the curtains and that will not go away unless I say the counter curse." She started to grind her hips on him again and he couldn't do anything but lie down again and bring Hermione with him.

"Always knew you were brilliant." He said as he shut his eyes and started to meet her thrusts.

"Oh... yes." She hissed onto his neck were she had buried her face. It didn't take long for her to scream out his name in it as she came. He then grabbed her waist and rolled them both over so that he was on top of her and started to thrust a bit faster and soon made a mess in his pants. He fell forward on his forearms careful not to crush her as he came down from his orgasm and started to breathe a bit slower.

Hermione who was already recovered, wrapped one arm around his waist and one went up in his hair at the back of his head and hugged him close and buried her head in his neck once more and kissed it softly."Look at me." She whispered into his skin. He turned his head and looked down at her. What he saw there was such intense and deep love that he was a bit stunned from it and he knew that he must have had that look too as he felt exactly the same. He couldn't put it in words however and therefore he hoped that the kiss he gave her right then would cover even a bit about how he felt. After a while Ron pulled away and rolled over, shaking his head to clear it as he felt his excitement start to return as he didn't think that would be such a good idea as it was getting later. Hermione seemed to think the same as she started to sit up and speak.

"You should be resting and I should probably get up from your bed and straighten myself out before I lift the charm and let everybody greet and talk to the new hero." She said the last bit in a mocking voice and smiled teasingly and he shot his most deathly glare at her that only made her laugh before she pointed her wand at him and cleaned him up. Then she pointed it at the curtains that surrounded his bed and lifted the imperturbable spell and Ron immediately started to hear the voices of Mr and Mrs Granger. Ron could see Hermione's cheeks turning redder by the second as she turned back around facing him.

"I thought they were still asleep." She whispered, or rather mumbled, more to herself than to him and he saw the panic rise in her eyes. "We shouldn't have done that." She started to pace back and forth at the end of his bed waving her hands away as she spoke. "What was I thinking? My parents were just on the other side of that bloody curtain and I just jump on my boyfriend like a rabbit. And YOU!" She hissed as she stopped and pointed a finger at him. "You should have been resting, why didn't you stop me!" Ron, who had sat himself up so he was leaning against the headboard, was a bit shocked from the turn of events and that she had said the word "bloody" and started to stutter.

"I...eh I..." but he didn't have much of a chance because she started to pace and carry on with her nervous ramble.

"How could I ever look my parents in the eyes again? They would have heard everything, what am I going to say? I can't just tell them we both had dreams about chocolate and moaned in pleasure every time we ate..."

"Hermione stop and look at me." Ron said a bit louder than he intended but it made her stop as it didn't seem like her parents had heard as he could still hear them converse with each other on the other side but he lowered his voice once again just in case. "They didn't hear anything… remember? You made the curtains imperturbable so they didn't hear squat." He saw the panic disappear from her face and calm down a bit.

"I'm sorry, you are right. I just got a bit panicked. " Ron never thought he would grow tired of hearing those words from her but now was not the time to tease her for it. "But we shouldn't have done that. You should have been resting and they still were on the other side. And we should wait until you are recovered and back at Hogwarts."

"If you don't remember, you were the one that..."

"Yes I know, I know." She said and sat down at the end of the bed. "I stopped thinking when you kissed me like that and I missed you so much, all of you." She gestured with her hands to his body and this made him snigger. "What are you laughing at? This is not funny!"

"It's just that I never thought I would hear the smartest witch of her age say that she stopped thinking while kissing me. It makes me kind of proud actually." This earned him a smack on his leg but she started laughing as well.

"Hermione are you awake?" They heard Mrs Granger call. Ron could see the happiness on Hermione's face when she heard her mother's voice.

"Yes we're awake mum."

"Ron too?" Her father asked.

"Yes I'm awake too." Ron answered. Hermione bent over and kissed him on the cheek before she got up and started to pull the curtains open. They had barely separated before her parents entered and walked up to his side. Ron just had time to see the tears in Mrs Granger's eyes before she threw her arms around him. He could feel her tears soak through his pyjamas over his shoulder and he didn't really know what he should do so he just pat her on her back a bit awkwardly. He looked over to Hermione, who was standing on the other side at the end of his bed and frowned at her when he saw that she was crying too but was covering her mouth with her hand to hide that she was laughing at his awkwardness. _'Girls are barmy.'_ He thought to himself when he turned back to her mother.

"Come on now Monica, can't you see that you're making the boy feel awkward?" Mr Granger said and put a hand over his wife's shoulder and Ron looked at him gratefully for helping him. Mrs Granger lifted her face from his shoulder and wiped away her tears.

"I'm sorry Ron." She said when she could see again. "You shouldn't have done this. You shouldn't have starved yourself just to make that potion. Don't get me wrong, we are really grateful and from what the Healers and Professor Dumbledore told us the Healers have tried to find a cure for this for decades. I can't believe you did it in one and a half months..." Ron was on his way to correct her and say it was really Tyra Powel but couldn't get a word in as Mrs Granger kept talking. He could really see were Hermione had gotten her rambling skills from. "... but you shouldn't have, we are not that important people to faint of exhaustion for."

"Ok Monica stop now or you'll scare him away and he won't do anything like this again if it should happen. And you are not helping him relax either," Mr Granger said and came up to stand beside his wife who had sat herself down on Ron's bed. Mrs Granger looked up at her husband who nodded at her and then back to Ron.

"I'm sorry Ron. All I wanted to say is thank you and we are going to find a way to properly thank you and you have nothing to say about It." She added when she saw that he was about to argue. "And it was really scary and I never want to tell Hermione that her man suffered because of us so don't ever do this to yourself again." Ron waited about two seconds before he answered to make sure that she was done talking. Then he smiled as he just realised that they were ok.

"I'm so glad that you are back. And I promise I won't do that to myself again as I missed food too much." As right on queue his stomach gave a loud rumble which made them all laugh. There was a knock on the door and Healer Kuznicki walked into the room with a chart in his hands that he was looking at while he walked.

"Mr and Mrs Granger I have your latest test results and everything looks fine." He said and looked up to Henry and Monica's beds just to look around the room before he noticed that they were standing beside his bed. When he saw that they were awake he just snorted at him and turned back to Hermione's parents and ignored him. "As I said everything is fine and you're getting discharged this afternoon." He turned to walk away but stopped when he was at the door but he didn't turn around to face them again. "We would like some more of that potion Mr Weasley as we have some other patients that need it." Ron could hear every word that he said sting like knives in his back. "And we must have list of the ingredients too if you wish it to save more lives." He walked out after that and left all of them a bit shocked except for Ron.

"What was that about?" Mr Granger asked.

"Well it was him who approved of me giving you the potion but he didn't think a little boy could outsmart the great Healers of the world and now I think that he is a bit angry that I have humiliated them all." He answered him in a cocky voice and with a shrug of his shoulders as he thought it was kind of funny as did Mr Granger. He then threw his head back and laughed out loud. Mrs Granger smiled at him too and Hermione muttered, "Well that showed them." while she sat back in her chair.

There was another knock on the door and it opened to reveal his parents, Fred and George, his sister and Harry. His mother rushed over to him when she saw that he was awake and cried on the same shoulder Mrs Granger had so it got even wetter. When he had managed to get her away from him the other scolding for the day started.

"What were you thinking? This isn't like you, starving yourself like that! I can't believe you of all people would do this to yourself! It's a miracle that you lasted this long without fainting!" Mrs Weasley was standing with her hands on her hips, a sign that showed that she was really pissed off.

"Mum please, it was just that I had to think about the potion."

"You couldn't even spare ten minutes to eat? I can tell you young man that I will owl Ginny every day and ask if you have eaten and if I get back one owl that says that you have only taken two helpings on every meal I will personally come and feed you." She pointed her finger at him. That's when his father stepped in and put a hand on his wife's shoulder and then the other one on his youngest son.

"But we are really proud of you son." He turned back to his mother and Ron saw her features soften and her hands let go of her hips.

"Yes we are Ron; we can't really express how proud we are." She put her hands on either side of his cheeks to keep his head still as she kissed him on his forehead.

"Aw mum!" He said and whipped his hand over the spot. That's when he got jumped on and hugged hard by the other female he had in his family. "Ouch Gin are you trying to suffocate me?" She let go of him but he got her strong fist into his arm as it hurt quite a bit actually.

"You great prat! Do you know how much you scared us! Don't you ever do something like that again!" She punched him a couple of times more before their father cut in. He was kind of glad they were out of Hogwarts as he would probably have been the victim of her bat-bogey hex if they weren't.

"I'm sorry I left you with her yesterday mate." He said and turned to Harry who was just smiling at him and Ginny.

"It's alright, as long as you're feeling better, you are right?" Harry asked.

"Yeah 'course, just famished you know and wondering when they're coming with breakfast."

"Glad you are back to normal then." Harry said and they all laughed. "And you are all right too; you're both all right, yes?" He asked and they knew and turned to Hermione. Ron turned to her too but not before he felt her hand slip into his. She looked at him, mentally asking him if they were and he nodded at her before he answered.

"We are more than all right." They both smiled at each other and forgot for a moment that they weren't alone but almost immediately snapped out of it as a third knock on the door was heard.

"Come in." Mr Weasley said. The door opened and in stepped a man and a woman who Ron knew he had seen somewhere but couldn't quite place. His parents seemed to know who they were though as they seemed to be in a shocked state as even their mouths were hanging open.

"F...F-Frank?" His father stuttered. "A-Alice? Oh Merlin you are back!" That's when it clicked; these were Neville's parent's Frank and Alice Longbottom whom had been suffering as victims of the Cruciatus Curse for fifteen years. They both stepped in and his parents went to meet and hug them both. Behind them Ron could see Neville and his grandmother. Neville walked straight up to him and before he knew it he was in for another hug. By now, he had lost count of how many he had had this morning and just accepted it.

"Is this him?"Frank asked when he let go after hugging his mother and turned to look at Ron. "Are you the wonderful young man I should he thanking for me and my wife's life? The one that has given us a second chance to get to know our son?"

"Yes this is him." Mr Weasley beamed at him. "This is my youngest son Ron. He's the one that came up with the potion."

"Well actually it was this woman Tyr..." but Ron didn't get to finish as Mr Longbottom grabbed his hand and almost shook it off, guessing he was still coming into his body as he hadn't been able to control it for almost fifteen years. After that, the third crying female that day hugged him but at least Mrs Longbottom chose the other shoulder when she hugged him and she didn't hug him very long.

"Thank you so much." She said while she walked back to her son and put an arm around him. "I never thought I would be able to say a word to my Neville but thanks to you I can."

"You just name anything and we will do it."

"Oh no that's ok, I didn't brew the potion for that..." Ron started but got interrupted as the doors opened without a knock and Minister Cornelius Fudge walked in with two men Ron had never seen before but he guessed were a reporter and a photographer as one had a quill and parchment in his hands while the other had a camera. Healer Kuznicki walked in too while behind him was their former brother Percy, whom the rest of the siblings were still angry. "Did it get kind of hard to breathe in here Fred?" George asked his twin brother and mad a motion to chip after his breath.

"Yes it certainly did George. Must be all the Prat and Git that filled the air when he stepped in." Fred said and motioned at their pompous brother. Percy just looked at them like they were something disgusting and then ignored them all.

"Minister Fudge, what do we owe the pleasure?" His father asked and for what it seemed, he was completely ignoring Percy as he didn't even give him a look.

"Arthur I think you know very well why I am here. I need to know how your son got hold of the recipe to this potion. Go on tell me boy."

"No don't tell him Ron." Hermione said just as he was about to answer. "Tell me how much you have paid Healer Kuznicki to say that it was the Ministry whom discovered the cure?" She asked standing up with her hands on her hips.

"Watch your mouth young lady. Don't you know whom you're talking to?" Healer Kuznicki retorted to her.

"OH YES I DO! I'm talking to the Minister who all through last year refused to believe that Voldemort was back." Everyone shuddered at the name (the knees of him who was holding the camera gave out but he caught himself on one of the chairs) but Hermione didn't seem to care as she continued. "He was the one who sent that cow Umbridge to our school so she would keep an eye and slowly take it for the Ministry! He was the one who tried to hide all the breakouts from Azkaban that's been happening through the last year and has tried to cover up for every dark thing that has been happening ever since he was forced to admit that Voldemort was back! SHALL I CONTINUE?"

"Now see here Miss Granger." Fudge said in a voice that tried to sound like he was all innocent but his facial expression told them that he wasn't. "I am the Minister of Magic and I can get you in serious trouble for accusing me of such things." Ron really thought he got her there but boy was he wrong.

"Oh I don't think so." Hermione retorted and crossed her arms in front of her chest and smiled a confident smile at the Minister. "If you didn't know this already, I have an agreement with a reporter named Rita Skeeter. I can easily make her write how you really knew all along that Voldemort was back and that you intentionally kept the Wizarding World in the dark about it so it wouldn't seem like you and the Ministry were doing anything wrong. And you know how the people love to read Rita Skeeter's articles." Even though Ron was in just as much shock as everyone else he had never been so proud of his girlfriend, ever! After staring at her with a shocked face for about a minute he, Harry, Ginny, Fred and George all turned over and smiled smugly at the Minister too.

"Are you threatening me Miss Granger?" Fudge asked but you could see that he was clearly afraid of her.

"No I'm not Mr Fudge, I'm just telling you facts about what's going to happen if you just think about writing in The Daily Prophet that it was the Ministry that came up with the cure."

"And I'm sorry Minister..." His father cut in. "... but as Ron is not yet of age and neither Molly or I have given you permission to question him, I'm afraid you have no right to do so… Especially if you are trying to take the credit for what he has done for the world." A silence fell over the room as Fudge clearly was trying to find a way out of this. But Ron could see a red colour from both anger and defeat and hurt of his pride rise on Fudge's face before he finally cracked.

"Fine! Come on you two." Fudge said and turned to leave with the reporter, photographer, the Healer and Percy on his tail.

"Nice seeing you Perce." Fred called after him. "Oh wait, no it wasn't." Percy just kept walking but Ron thought he hung his head a bit in what looked like shame but he couldn't be sure as he didn't see his face. What surprised Ron though was that when Fudge was about to step out of the room, he turned back once more and Ron could see that what he was about to say was taking up every ounce of pride Fudge had left.

"And bound to the law paragraph 742.6 the Ministry is bound to give you Mr Weasley for your great discovery 1 million galleons. Have a nice day." With that, he and the others stepped out and closed the door leaving a room filled with shocked people.

Ron couldn't grip what the Minister had just said. He thought he hadn't heard it right, he must have misunderstood. He turned to Hermione to ask what he really meant but he stopped when he saw her shocked face. He looked around at everyone else and saw the same expression on their faces. His mother was the first one to recover from it.

"OH RON!" She shouted and hugged him hard once again.

"Way to go brother!" Fred and George said in unison.

"Congratulation son!" His father clapped him on his shoulder.

"Oh we are so happy for you Ron, you really deserve it." Mrs Granger said and her husband nodded in agreement.

"Yes you do Mr Weasley." Mrs Longbottom said and her whole family nodded.

"I'm expecting a hell of a good Christmas gift from you this year Ron." Ginny said before she hugged him too.

"Yeah me too." Harry said and smiled. "You do really deserve it mate."

Ron didn't say anything because he couldn't quite grasp what was happening right now. He turned to the only one who hadn't reacted yet, the person whose opinion was the most important to him. She was still in shock but when he looked into her eyes she slowly started to smile and then flew herself right into his arms. That's when it really started to sink in and first he cracked a smile and then he started to laugh out loud as he hugged her back. When he had calmed down, he loosened his grip and she pulled away a bit but kept her arms around him.

"What should I do with so much money?" He asked her still beaming.

"Well one thing you are not gonna do is lay it all out on candy." She said and chuckled at his pouting face.

"Aww you are no fun." He said and crossed his arms. Hermione just laughed more before she kissed him.

"Oh get a room you two." They broke away and both of them blushed as they had forgotten that they were not alone. He looked at his parents, brothers and sister and knew what the first thing he would do with this money.

"Of course! The first thing we will do with the money is rebuilding The Burrow." At that, his mother, Hermione and even Ginny burst out in tears and they all hugged him. He usually felt really awkward with one girl crying on him and now there were three. "Ok why is everyone crying?"

"Oh Ron you wonderful boy, would you really do that?" His mother asked when they all sat back up.

"Of course I would do that. I want our home back so we can spend Christmas there instead of Grimmauld Place or Hogwarts."

"Oh my boy, my wonderful boy." She stroked his cheek but he tried to bat it away as he didn't really think it was a big deal. Of course he would use the money to help rebuild The Burrow; if any of his brothers would have this kind of sum they would also do it.

They didn't have time to say anything more about it right now as another knock on the door was heard and a kind looking old woman Healer came in with a trolley with three bricks of food on.

"Breakfast dears." She said and motioned for Mr and Mrs Granger to lie down in their beds. When they had, she conjured two small tables that floated over to Mr and Mrs Granger's to put two of the bricks on. There were two slices of bread with cheese and ham on it and a cup of coffee. She did the same to Ron but he noticed that he had three slices of bread, scrambled eggs and some pumpkin juice too. "A bit extra for you Mr Weasley as you need to get up your strength. Speaking of that, you need your rest too and there are too many people for that. Mr and Mrs Longbottom I suggest that you head back to your room as breakfast will be served for you there."

"Yes of course." Mr Longbottom said. "Mr Weasley remember not to hesitate to send us an owl if you ever need anything."With that he shook his hand and his wife hugged him one last time.

"We must go too, have to open the shop but we'll come back tomorrow bro." With that Fred and George clapped him on his shoulder and walked out of the room too. After they ate their breakfast, everyone that was left were chatting with each other but Ron was finding it more difficult to keep up with their conversation, even listening to them was getting hard as he felt his eyelids get heavier. He felt Hermione's lips on his forehead and slowly turned to her with a sleepy smile on his face.

"I don't think anyone will mind if you took a nap, you really deserve it after all the commotion and people here." She whispered to him.

"Oh thank Merlin. I'm falling asleep just trying to stay awake." He whispered back.

"That didn't make any sense." She chuckled and leaned down and kissed him after she had made sure no one was looking. "You know I'm very proud of you." She said when she backed away so they were a few inches apart.

"Do you know how proud I was of you when you stood up to Fudge? Thank you for that by the way." He said and reached up to kiss her briefly.

"Hm your welcome, now get some sleep." She said and leaned back in to her chair while he snuggled deeper into his bed and then said while closing his eyes,

"Will you pull the curtains close and lay down with me when my parents, Harry and Ginny are gone?"

"No." She smiled at him and took his hand in hers; entwining their fingers while taking out a book Harry and Ginny had brought her to catch up on her homework. "Now go to sleep. I love you."

"I love you too." Those were the last words he said as he fell into his dreams, dreaming of his future with Hermione.

**AN: You all know what to do ;)**


	25. Finally!

25 Finally!

Two days after Fudge had come for his "visit," Hermione had been told that she had to return to school since her parents were released and she wasn't allowed to stay with Ron during class hours as he wasn't technically her family. Hermione had protested wildly at first, but when they told her she could still come there when her classes were over, she had calmed down and agreed to it when Ron stated that it was better than nothing. So every day after class, she had brought her and Ron's homework which she had told him that she wouldn't do for him no matter how many times he said he was too weak to write (she may also had threaten him with: if he was too weak to write, then he was too weak to snog). Ron not liking this threat very much decided that maybe doing his homework would be good for his aching muscles after all.

That was a week ago (the Healers had decided that they would keep Ron a couple of days more than they had first intended as they wanted to make sure the process of his weight gaining was working normally) and Hermione was now walking the halls of St Mungos to Ron's room. But this time wasn't for a visit as she would now be bringing him back with her to Hogwarts, making Hermione feel rather nervous.

Today was the day; the day she would finally be together with Ron in every way. She had prepared herself by brewing a new set of contraception potion. As Ron's dorm mates would not be at the feast this time, she had decided that the Room of Requirement would be the place for their first time and had now prepared it for three days as she wanted it to be perfect. Nothing would go wrong this time.

When she approached Ron's door, she took a nervous breath to calm herself. It didn't help. Why was she like this? She hadn't been this nervous at Halloween? She took another deep breath before she opened the door.

Ron sat on his bed, dressed in his school robes, talking to Healer Cowen (whom he had switched to after Fudge had been there) and had also found out that he would pay Healer Kuznicki to say that it was the Ministry who had discovered the cure for the victims of the Cruciatus Curse, making some rather angry. But Healer Cowen was a nice woman in her mid forties with long light brown hair and just as light brown eyes who only wanted to help her patients. Speaking to each other, they both looked up when Hermione entered.

"Ah here she is." Healer Cowen said and got up from the chair she was sitting in front of Ron. Hermione looked at Ron and met his eyes. What she saw there was happiness (probably because he was happy to get out of there as he had complained about being stuck here too much), joy and a bit of worry. But what she noticed most, and what calmed her down even more, was that he looked just as nervous as her. She smiled at him in relief and she saw him calm down too as he smiled back. "Now Miss Granger, I trust you to make sure that he follows the diet we planned for him. It's the same one we had for him here that will make him gain weight at a slow pace."

"I still can't understand why I just can't eat a bunch of chocolate frogs and sugar quills for a week and then return back to normal."

"Because that is extremely unhealthy" The Healer said with raised eyebrows and then turned to walk out of the room but stopped by Hermione and whispered not so quietly. "Keep an eye on him."

"I promise I'll keep two eyes on him." She said and snickered at Ron's pouty face. When the Healer was gone, Hermione walked up to Ron, who had stood up, and hugged him around his waist.

"Are you ready?" Hermione raised her eyebrows and looked up at him with a half smile. "I-I mean... are you ready to leave... not the... not the other thing... I mean..." Hermione reached up and kissed him quietly.

"I know what you meant." She said when she backed away. "And yes I am ready to leave..." she took his hand in hers and tugged on it to get him to start walking before she added. "... and to do the other thing…" She didn't have to look at him to know that he was both smiling and blushing, just like her. They held hands all the way to the fireplace but had to let go as they flooed back to Hogwarts to Professor McGonagall's office.

"Good afternoon and welcome back Mr Weasley." Professor McGonagall greeted them. "I am glad to see that you are on the way to recovery. Please do not leave too much soot on the floor."

"Thank you Professor." Ron said as he dusted off his school robes from the fireplace.

"I am afraid you can't stay and chat as I have a few essays for the fourth years that I have to grade by tomorrow. Good day to you." They bid good bye to her and Hermione started to lead Ron up to the seventh floor. But instead of turning towards the Fat Lady, Hermione took his hand again and started to lead them the other way.

"Where are we going?" Ron asked but she just turned and smiled at him. When they reached the wall where the Room of Requirement was hiding, she let go of Ron's hand and started to pace back and forth three times thinking.

"_I need the place I created. I need the place I created. I need the place I created." _When the door revealed itself, Hermione turned and smiled a nervous but excited smile at Ron as she grabbed both his hands in hers and led him in the room. Inside were two chairs and a table with two lit candles, a kidney pie and some treacle tart. She watched and smiled in delight as Ron's face turned from wonder to shock to joy and then finally to… hunger.

"What's all this?" He asked as he walked over to the table and looked at the food. Hermione took off her robe and revealed to him a deep purple blouse and dark blue jeans. She also had a silver necklace with the letter H on it which she had received from her parents on her 13th birthday.

"Well I wanted to do something nice for you. After all you have done for me… this was the least I could do." She said and walked over to put her arms around him. "And I thought that we could turn the room into a bedroom when we are done eating and stay here for the night."

"Wait, Hermione." Ron said and put his hands on her shoulders to give them some space between them and looked down at her. "Y- You are not doing this, all of this just to thank me right? I mean that's not why I did that. I don't expect you to do that too, to thank me or anything." She pushed away his arms and reached up to kiss him.

"Are you quite done?" He nodded. "If you don't remember I will remind you that I was ready to do be with you in this way before... before my parents were, were tortured." She said and put her arms around him once again.

"Oh, oh yeah" He said and smiled down at her but it soon turned into a frown again. "But what about Harry and Ginny- won't they wonder where we are? I mean didn't they know that you were going to get me from St Mungos today?"

"Yes they knew but I told them that we wanted a moment to ourselves as we hadn't been alone in quite some time and not to expect us until tomorrow." She said feeling smug.

"Oh brilliant you are!" They kissed once more before Hermione said that the food was getting cold as her heating charm would soon wear off. "You know this is supposed to be the boyfriend's job- do all the romantic stuff to make you feel comfortable." He said as they sat down and Ron helped himself to the kidney pie.

"Well I think that's just wrong. Why can't a woman make something nice for her man and make him comfortable?"

"Because it's a bigger deal for a woman than for a man to lose her virginity and that's why the man's job is to make her feel loved and as relaxed as possible and not pressured to do anything she doesn't want."

"And I already told you that I don't feel pressured into anything; I am a bit nervous… ok… _a lot_ nervous." She added when he raised his eyebrows with a smile on his lips that just made her feel more confident about this. "But I want this Ron; I want to be with you because I love you and I want to show that love to you in every way that I can."

"I love you too." The rest of the dinner went quietly but with a lot of footsie playing under the table and a lot of hand holding and touching. As soon as Ron had finished his third helping of the pie and his second helping of treacle tart, Hermione took out her wand and made their plates and table vanish as she then proceeded to replace them with a red couch like the one in the Gryffindor's common room.

Suddenly, she felt his hands sneak around her from behind to place on her stomach and his mouth press lightly on her neck. She shivered as she put her hands over his and leaned her head to give him better access. After a while, Hermione felt him grab her shoulders and turn her around so they could meet in a passionate, breath taking kiss. Eventually, Hermione started to lead them to the couch and Ron sat down, dragging her, so that she fell on top of him. The kiss had not been broken while they moved and now that she was sitting on his lap, it grew even more passionate. She could feel his hard member pressing on her thigh and before she knew it her hips started to grind against it.

"Oh Merlin Hermione!" Ron moaned as he let go of her lips and leaned his head back. Hermione started to attack his neck while still rubbing her hips against him. His hands were roaming up and down her back down to her bum and hips to guide their movements. As Hermione felt the passion between them, she suddenly let go of his lips and stopped her movements.

"Wait a bit Ron; I think we need to slow down a bit." She said as she slid of his lap and onto the couch beside him.

"I'm sorry." He panted. "You looked so damn beautiful and sexy that I couldn't resist." He turned over towards her as he spoke.

"It's ok; I think we both got carried away. It's just that I want to do this the right way, in a bed… and not just hook up on the couch. I put some comfortable clothes for you on the bed." She said and motioned for a door at the end of the hall he hadn't seen before. "Why don't you go in there to change and I will do the same in the loo." He nodded and they both got up from the couch and walked hand in hand into the bedroom. Inside the room there was a big double bed with red Gryffindor sheets and beside it were two bed tables with three lit candles on each table. On the left wall was a door that was leading to the loo; Hermione kissed him on the mouth before she backed away with what she hoped was a sexy smile on her lips, which clearly got the look across that she wanted to emit, as Ron smiled smugly back at her with lust filled eyes.

When she closed the door to the loo, she took a moment to lean back against it, closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm down a bit. When she opened her eyes again, she looked down at her light pink silk nightie which she had secretly bought for this occasion this summer when she and her mother had gone shopping two days before the attack. She sighed again before she started to change into it; it was short, too short for her liking as it left very little to the imagination and it made her very nervous for what Ron would think. She splashed some water over her face before she slowly made herself open the door to find out.

Ron was lying in the middle of the bed with closed eyes. He had changed into the blue pyjamas she had brought for him and admitted that he looked extremely handsome even though he hadn't fully gotten his body back yet. It looked like he was sleeping, but Hermione knew better; she was extremely nervous as to what he would say when he opened his eyes that it took a couple of seconds before she cleared her throat to announce her presence. When he opened his eyes though, all of her worry disappeared as he slowly rose up on his elbows and studied her from head to toe to settle on her eyes. She was fighting the will to cover herself up as she felt exposed but it soon won and her arms rose up to cover her chest. She saw him crawl out of the bed and walk over to her out of the corner of her eye but she didn't look up.

"Beautiful." She blushed and looked down even more but smiled when his hand searched its way under her chin to make her look up in his beautiful blue eyes that told her that he meant it. She lowered her arms again and leaned up to kiss him hard on the mouth. She felt his hands roam all over her body, on her stomach to her back, to her bum, up to her upper back and finally around to her breasts. She let out a moan and let go of his lip and went to kissing his neck as he started to massage them and pinch her nipples gently.

She stroked her hands over his still strong chest as he hadn't lost much of his muscles even though he had lost a lot of weight. It wasn't long before her hands wandered around to his back and his arse and gave it a squeeze before going back to his front again and under his pyjama top. Before she realised it, her hands had started to unbutton it and her mouth followed the new exposed skin they left. When it was opened, Hermione stepped back a bit so he could take it off completely. She stared at his naked freckled chest down to his stomach, following the trail of red hair that was leading down to the bulge in his pants. She walked over to him and slowly put her hand over it and started to gently stroke it up and down through his pants.

"Oh Merlin" He hissed through his teeth. She stopped to untie the knot of his pyjama pants and pull them down together with his boxers. Even though it wasn't the first time she touched, seen or even tasted him, this felt more special than the other times. He looked even more handsome and even more magnificent and beautiful to her as he stood there in all his nakedness. She could feel her desire build even more (though she didn't know how that was possible) and she had to fight the urge to cross her legs to get some control.

She filled the small space between them once more and pressed herself against him hard as they started to kiss passionately again. She could feel his hand wander down between them and settle in front of her most private part but she batted him away.

"Not yet… you first" was the only thing she said and started to slide her own hand between them to stroke his naked penis a bit faster.

"But isn't... oh yesss... isn't it I who should... oh God Hermione just like that... who should help you feel relaxed before..."

"Yes but... I've read that... if you... e-ejaculate once, it will help you to last longer the second time." She said blushing madly. She had stopped her hand movements as she was embarrassed that she had said that.

"Oh really?" She nodded.

"And I thought that... if I do it to you first... maybe you will be back on track after you have helped me relax." She blushed even more now. _"BACK ON TRACK? I can't believe I just said that!" _She thought as she clapped her hand over her face as he started to laugh out loud with his head thrown back. "I didn't know what to say ok?" She defended herself though she started to laugh too.

"Well you could just have said that I would have a chance to get my erection back up." He said smiling down at her when he had calmed down. "Or boner or wood or..."

"Ron!"

"Mione, it's ok to say these things in these circumstances." He said and grabbed her gently by the shoulders. "It's just me here and we are about to have sex; I don't think it will be any good if we can't even talk about it to each other." She thought about it for a moment and realised that he was right. She was about to become a woman and it was time to let go of the childish behaviour to not be able to talk about their body parts and sex.

"I'm sorry… you are right; I think I should be able to say erection and even boner and wood in front of you now." She said and smiled up at him. She took his hands in hers and started to lead them both over to the bed where she motioned him to climb in first. He did so and turned to lie on his back in the middle of the bed. She too, climbed on the bed and straddled his stomach before kissing him carefully to not touch his pe... no cock. Almost immediately their tongues started the familiar dance with each other and when Hermione needed a breath she let go of him just to attack his neck once more, certain she had left some marks.

"I think that I would be even more turned on if you started to talk dirty to me." She heard him say but she didn't look at him as she had started to wander a path down his body with her lips. She stopped and took one of his nipples in her mouth as she knew he liked and got a hiss when she rolled it around with her tongue before continuing down to his stomach. Could she do this? Talk dirty to him? She had agreed to say sexy things with him but did she have enough confidence and skill to make it sound sexy? _"Well I guess I could give it a try."_ She thought and spoke in what she hoped was a sexy voice while running her fingers through the light red hair around his navel.

"Really? What do you want me to say?" He just shrugged his shoulders while looking at her with half open eyes filled with lust. "Do you want me to tell you that I'm going to move my hand slowly, following this trail of hair until it reaches your cock?" He seemed speechless as he just nodded again. She moved her hand like she said and when she reached his cock, she gripped it firmly. She saw him close his eyes and arch his back as he opened his mouth to let out a silent moan. "Do you want me to say that I'm gonna start moving it up and down your long shaft slowly at first and then move faster and faster." She purred.

"Oh FUCK Mione." Satisfied with his reaction, she thought that maybe after all she was good at this. He seemed to like it very much. When she had done what she said for a couple of minutes, he started to buck his hips in pace with her hand as she knew he was getting closer to his climax. She bent down and licked him from the bottom of his shaft and up before she put him fully in her mouth. It wasn't long before she felt his twitch and his hot fluid shoot into her mouth while he shouted the word "fuck" so it bounced off the walls. She swallowed (a lot easier now) when he was done and released him. His eyes were still closed when she looked up at him and he was breathing hard; she smiled at him when he opened his eyes lazily at her.

"That was amazing." He said when his breathing had evened a bit. "I knew you'd be brilliant at talking dirty." He reached for her and took her hands to motion for her to crawl up to him. She straddled his waist and he sat up to kiss her a couple of times before saying, "I think it's a bit unfair that I've been naked for such a long time and you've been fully covered up." He took the helm of her nightgown and lifted it up over her head which didn't take long before he took one of her breasts in his mouth. She moaned as he sucked and nibbled her nipple with his teeth before he switched to treat her other breast the same.

After doing that, he rolled them over so she was on her back against the soft bed with him on top, kissing each other passionately. He soon started to kiss his way down her neck, down between her breasts stopping to give each one a kiss before continuing down to her stomach. His hands were massaging her thighs up and down with his hands before taking them away and replacing them with his mouth. After a couple of minutes of kissing her thighs, he finally kissed her on her panties before hooking his thumbs under the fabric and pulled them off of her. She watched him study her body for a long time and saw that his cock already started to twitch before he locked his eyes with hers and guided his hand to her wet cunt.

"Oh Ron!" She moaned as two of his fingers started to stroke her up and down a couple of times before settling on her clit where he softly started to rub in small circular motions. "Oh... Oh yeah! He switched so his thumb was rubbing her clit while one of his fingers searched its way inside of her and then another was added after about a minute as he started to thrust harder and faster. "Oh yes Ron... Don't stop... That's just right... Oh fuck! She felt Ron taking away his thumb from her just to bend down and replace it with his tongue. She was worming all over the bed and had to fasten her hands in his hair to keep her somewhat still. "Oh Ron I'm gonna cum!" She screamed and bucked her hips in the pace of his fingers and tongue. "I'm cuming Ron... I... ROOOOON!" Her release hit her full force and his fingers continued to move inside her as he helped her ride it out but she knew that he had stopped his licking to watch her face when she came as he always did.

Her eyes were closed as her breathing started to settle. She could feel the bed shift as he crawled up to her. She felt his lips come down on hers softly at first but it soon grew more passionately and she wanted him once more. When he backed away, she opened her eyes to see him hover a couple of inches over her with nervous but lust filled eyes. He put his right hand on her left cheek and asked with a soft voice.

"Are you ready?" She smiled and laid her own hand on his cheek.

"Yes, nervous… but more than ready" She answered. "Are you?" He smiled and nodded at her before positioning himself between his legs. He grabbed his now again hard penis and guided it to her entrance.

"Wait, have you cast the contraception spell?" He asked as he looked up on her.

"Yes, I did it before I came to get you at the hospital…it will last about 24 hours."

"Ok good." He looked down again and Hermione closed her eyes as she could now feel the top of his cock at her opening but opened them when he stopped again. "You'll tell me if you want me to stop right? Or if I go too fast or..." she was amazed how he had gone from quite confident to very nervous in such a short amount of time; though she understood it was because what they did earlier was what they had done in the past and this new venture was something they had never done and of course was a really big step in their relationship.

"Yes I will Ron, I promise." She said and gave him a quick kiss to give him some confidence. She closed her eyes again as he started to press himself in slowly. He was big, very big and she could feel him stretch her which was quite painful. "Ron… stop a bit please." She said when he had got a bit more than the head in. He started to withdraw but she put her hands on his hips to stop him. "No stay, I jut need to adjust a bit." She moved her hands up to his neck as the pain started to lessen and she told him that he could continue. When he was almost all the way inside, she felt him hit her barrier and she knew that this was it.

"Mione, I think this is gonna hurt." She opened her eyes to look into his worried ones and smiled.

"I know but I'm ready for it. But maybe you could... you know break through it and then stop a bit again, ok?" He nodded and she closed her eyes once more as she felt him draw back a little before pushing forward, breaking through it in one go. It was painful… it was _very _painful and Hermione gasped and hugged Ron to her hard so all his weight was on her. She buried herself in his neck, trying to keep the tears in her eyes from falling. She could hear him whisper how sorry he was and how much he loved her and how beautiful he thought she was. After a couple of seconds, she felt the pain ebb away and she started to relax a bit and release Ron from the hard hug but still kept her arms around him as he raised himself back on his elbows.

"Are you ok?" She could hear the concern in his voice.

"Yes I think you can move now but slowly please."

"Ok, just tell me if I go too fast and hurt you." She nodded and opened her eyes just to close them again as he very slowly started to pull almost all the way back before just as slowly pushing back in. She tried not to gasp too much from the pain that she was still feeling, but she could tell that it was ebbing away a bit more after every thrust Ron did.

"You can move a bit faster now." She whispered. She didn't get a response from him but his hips moved faster so she knew that he had heard her. It started to feel pretty good now and it wasn't that long before she started to moan in pleasure instead of pain. "Faster." She demanded and he did but she didn't know if it was because of her or that he was a bit lost to hear anything.

"Oh God Mione... feels so good!" He murmured into her neck.

"Oh yes Ron... it does... it really does!" And it did; she couldn't feel any pain anymore just pleasure. She pulled Ron to her so that his weight was fully on her and she started to meet his thrust with her hips. She was scratching his back with her nails and then moved her hands into his hair.

"Oh I'm gonna cum... Mione I'm gonna... MIIOOONEEE!" She could feel hot liquid shoot inside her. She kissed and whispered how much she loved him as she helped him ride out his orgasm. They both moaned when he pulled out and lay down on his back on the left side of the bed. She crawled up to his side and laid her head on his shoulder and her arm sprawled over his chest as both tried to slow down their breathing. She felt his arm creep around and press her even closer to him. "You didn't come." He said after a while.

"No but that's ok; most women don't come at their first time." She said without looking up at him.

"Oh, do you want me to do what I did before?"

"No I'm very satisfied with what we have already done." She smiled into his side.

"Did it hurt very much?" She once again heard the concern in his voice.

"At first but you don't have to worry Ron; it went away pretty fast and at the end I really enjoyed it." She slurred.

"So you liked it?" Now she heard hope and excitement in his voice and she lifted her head and smiled so that he could see that she really meant what she said.

"Yes my love; I really liked it and I think I will like it even more the more we do it." They both smiled. She couldn't believe what they had done, well she believed it as it had been quite painful, but she couldn't believe that she had done it with Ron Weasley, the man she had been in love with for so long, even before she knew what love was and realised that she was in love with him. She reached up and kissed him softly. "We should get some sleep as I'm sure I won't be able to keep you to myself too long tomorrow." She lay down and snuggled into his neck.

"G'night, I love you so much." He whispered and sounded already half asleep. She smiled and whispered back even though she heard his snoring start. Hermione giggled a bit but then whispered seriously,

"I love you too."

**AN: Puh is it just me or is it hot here? =)**

**I will now start to go in a bit more to the actually mystery in this story so there will be a bit more of Voldemort and stuff like that. I think I have a really good idea for it and don't think anyone else has used it.**

**I hope you liked this one, please tell me what you think!**


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